President Yoweri Museveni has directed the Minister of Health to close all privately owned pharmacies in government health facilities.
Mr Museveni says that he has learnt that hose pharmacies are owned by health workers, who, instead of prescribing the use of government medicine, prescribe the selling of their own drugs.
“I have directed the health minister to oversee the closure of all the privately-owned pharmacy shops in government health centers,” said Mr Museveni in a message seen by theUgandan.
“I have also issued a directive to the Minister of Public Service to conclude the issue of pay to government scientists and university teachers by moving them to the desired levels we previously agreed,” Mr Museveni added.
According to the president, 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.
“We can, then, be able to ban completely the practice of government health workers, running parallel clinics or drug shops. It was not reasonable to do that when the salaries were so low,” said Mr Museveni.