Health authorities in Uganda have intensified efforts to combat the theft of government-supplied antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, with the latest operation leading to the arrest of a health worker and his accomplices.

Ronald Kibalya Nditusawa, a health worker at Kamuli Hospital, was apprehended on November 15, 2024, by the National Drug Authority (NDA) during an operation targeting the illegal diversion of government medicine. NDA officials discovered Kibalya in possession of 12 crates containing 720 tins of ARV medication—equivalent to 64,800 pills—marked as government property and intended for free distribution to patients.

According to an NDA statement, Kibalya and three other suspects—Mwesigwa Moses, Bwambale Walter, and Mumbere Godfrey—were caught transporting the stolen drugs in a Toyota Primo (registration number UBN 848Y). The group was reportedly attempting to deliver the contraband to Nansana, Wakiso District.

The NDA revealed that since March 2024, it has recovered stolen government drugs valued at over UGX 2.5 billion. This latest bust underscores the agency’s commitment to curbing theft in the health sector and ensuring that life-saving medicines reach those who need them most.

The NDA has reaffirmed its dedication to protecting public health by collaborating with law enforcement and intensifying surveillance to prevent the misappropriation of essential drugs.