Museveni closes all private pharmacies in government health centres
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has ordered for the closure of all privately-owned pharmacies in government health centres across the country.
President Museveni gave the directive to the health minister Dr Jane Aceng on Wednesday afternoon.
The Ugandan head of state said that all those pharmacies at the government facilities are owned by health workers.
I have directed the health minister to oversee the closure of all privately-owned pharmacy shops in government health centres. I am told that those pharmacies are owned by health workers. Instead of prescribing the use of government medicine, they prescribe their own drugs.
— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) October 2, 2019
The president added that the move will help to completely ban the practice of government health workers from running their own clinics and drug shops.
He said the move would not have been achieved previously when the salaries of the government health workers were so low.
President Museveni also asked the Minister of Public Service to conclude the issue of increasing pay to government scientists and university teachers.
“Paying the medical workers, the government scientists and the academicians well removes the temptation of double loyalty – to the public service and to the private interest of the employee,” he said.