Pharmacy Body Blames Government for Unfilled District Roles After Child's Death

The Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda (PSU) has strongly criticized the government for prolonged delays in recruiting pharmacists across local districts, warning that systemic staffing gaps are directly contributing to fatal medical errors during public health outreaches.

This rebuke follows a tragic incident at Kabwangasi Health Centre III in Butebo District, where a young child tragically died and approximately 25 other children required urgent hospital treatment. During a community health outreach, the children were mistakenly administered Carbamazepine, an anticonvulsant drug, instead of the intended deworming medication Mebendazole. Surviving victims were quickly transferred to neighboring facilities for emergency stabilization.

Dr. Stephen Lutoti, the Secretary of the PSU, noted that this disaster represents the second major medical failure of its kind within a span of seven months, pointing to a recurring breakdown in pharmaceutical handling during field operations. He emphasized that approved public service staffing structures remain largely unfilled across most districts.

To prevent further tragedies, the PSU is urging the Ministry of Health and local authorities to mandate strict supervisory protocols. The society recommends that every medical outreach involving drug distribution be accompanied by a qualified pharmacist and a pharmacy technician to perform mandatory double-checks on all medication labels and dosages.

In the wake of the Kabwangasi incident, the society has issued demands for immediate corrective action, including a comprehensive line-listing of affected children, forensic verification of remaining drug samples, specialized pediatric care, activation of national pharmacovigilance tracking, and a thorough independent investigation.

Read more details in the Daily Monitor.