Government Health Worker Arrested for Stealing 100,000 Doses of ARVs and Hiding Them in Latrine

A Ugandan government health work has been arrested for stealing 100,000 doses of ARVs and hiding them in a pit latrine.

The Uganda National Drug Authority (NDA) said the arrested health worker is an assistant nursing officer at Kassanda Health Centre IV.

NDA spokesperson Abiaz Rwamwiri identified the suspect as Swamad Nsamba. Rwamwiri said that Nsamba was been found in illegal possession of over 100,000 doses of antiretrovirals (ARVs), 15,000 doses of Aspirin and 400 HIV testing kits “all clearly marked ‘Government of Uganda Not for Sale.’”

Nsamba had hidden these assorted medicines in a pit latrine of a private clinic where he works part-time in Bukuya Trading Center in Kassanda, added Rwamwiri.

Nsamba has been detained and is expected to be arraigned before the Makindye Wildlife and Utilities Court to answer for charges of illegal possession of government stores contrary to section 296(2) of the Penal Code Act.

Swamad Nsamba will also face charges of illegal possession of classified drugs contrary to section 27(2) of the National Drug Policy and Authority Act.

NDA claims it has recovered stolen Government of Uganda medicine worth Shs15bn and arrested 62 suspects (43 of them being health workers) in operations since 2019.

There have been reports of ‘free’ ARVs being sold to poor Ugandan HIV patients, and also reports of ARVs being found in pork and chicken. (See Details Here and There).

Relatedly, top district officials have been arrested for selling government jobs, as reported Here.