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Continued from page 11 – Study Suggests New MalariaDrugcombination of several malaria control measures,including treatment with ACTs, provision of ITNs(with education about their use), and potential use ofindoor residual spraying as has been the case in SouthAfrica.This, they argued, will likely decrease the malariaburden and reduce drug pressure due to repeated use ofACTs.Monitoring of the impact of these combined controlmeasures will be critical to assess success in malariacontrol in Uganda, they further observed.The study results could have important policyimplications, according to the researchers, whoobserved children aged 6 months to 10 years withuncomplicated falciparum malaria in the study,‘Artemether-Lumefantrine versus Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine for Treatment of Malaria: A RandomizedTrial.’☻☻☻☻☻☻Shs3.7b Malaria, ARV DrugsRot in NMSAgness NandutuJuly 12, 2007Daily MonitorAs thousands of Ugandans die everyday of HIV/AIDSand malaria, drugs worth about Shs4 billion are rottingin the National Medical Stores Entebbe.While on their fact finding tour of NMS in Entebbeyesterday, MPs on the Social Services Committee ledby James Kubeketerya (Bunya East) were shocked tofind eight containers of 2-feet, full of expired drugs yetUgandans are perishing in hospitals with treatment.The NMS General Manager Apollo Newton Mwesigyetold MPs that due to over stocking of drugs by thirdparty programmes at NMS, ARV drugs valued atShs900 million and other drugs work Shs1.2 billionhave already expired. Those that are bout to expire arevalued at Shs1.65 billion.Third parties are programmes like Global Funds thatstore drugs at NMS.Mr Mwesigye said, “Due to unique nature of NMSoperations, expiry of drugs has remained a bigchallenge. We can only minimize these losses if NMSis given power to perform its statutory mandate ofprocurement, storage and distribution of drugs. We can-not do away with the expire drugs but if procurement isharmonized, we can reduce,” he told MPs.Former NMS General Manager Robert Rutagi was last yearsuspended for the mismanagement that led to the expiry ofARV packs worth Shs936 million.Thousands of Ugandans die of malaria and HIV/AIDSannually due to inadequate drugs in hospitals countrywide.He told MPs that big volumes of expire drugs and thosethat are about to expire belong to third party programmesbut few of the drugs belong to NMS.Out of the 13,000 square metre-storage space, only 2000store NMS drugs.Mr. Mwesigye told MPs that third party programmesprocure big volumes of drugs, which are sometimes alreadyprocured by NMS.“NMS is not involved in the planning or procurement of theitems and we are expected to accept all consignments atvery short notice. This has led to a distortion in NMS henceexpiry,” he said.He said many of the programmes procure short-lived drugsand leave them for a long time at NMS, which in manycases expire. Mr. Kubeketerya demanded for the list ofprogrammes that bring in the drugs that expire at NMS.“If you don’t expose them, it’s your name that gets spoiled.It’s proper to avail to us the names of these programmes sothat people get to know their negligence,” he said.Some of the programmes that were named to have leftdrugs for a long time at NMS to expire are Global Fund,Aids Control Programme, Clinton Foundation, MalariaControl Programme among others.Mr. Mwesigye told MPs that there is an increased numberand volume of redundant stock at NMS.He said high on the redundant stock list are condoms,homapaks for malaria, ARV oral dosage forms and syrups,Uganda Aids Commission lab supplies and other Globalfund stock among others.“This translates into high inventory holding costs and theexpiry risk that in turn leads to financial loss. This isbecause NMS is not involved in the planning andprocurement of the items,” he said.He said big volumes of the drugs that expire have a shortlife span and are brought in without proper planning.-12 - Traditional African Clinic July/August 2007He said some of the drugs are procured in preparation foroutbreaks like bad flu but expire if the outbreaks don’toccur. Said Mr Mwesigye “If there is harmonizing ofprocurement with third party programmes, we can doproper planning and schedule the distribution in a wellContinued on page 13