HIV testing kits with tampered expiry dates recovered in NDA operation
"Tampering with expiry dates of diagnostic kits is not only illegal but also dangerous, as it hampers medical treatment, giving unreliable results," says NDA's Abiaz Rwamiri.
Over 40 boxes containing government drugs, including ARVs, were confiscated in an operation by NDA and the Police in Kampala on March 15, 2025. (Credit: National Drug Authority)
Admin .
@New Vision
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Ten suspects were arrested on Saturday (March 15) in a sweeping operation conducted by the National Drug Authority (NDA) in Kampala, during which government drugs and tampered-with diagnostic kits were recovered.
A joint team of NDA officials and the Police stormed a number of shops on Wilson Street in the city centre and recovered more than 40 boxes containing government drugs, including ARVs, as well as and HIV testing kits.
They also managed to confiscate relabelled malaria and HIV testing kits.
People are advised never to use, for example, an HIV testing kit that has passed its expiration date, as the results may be inaccurate and unreliable.
The effectiveness and accuracy of HIV tests, especially rapid tests, can degrade over time, leading to false positive or false negative results. 
'Illegal'
Saturday's operation in Kampala happened in the morning hours.
"Several diagnostic devices of HIV and malaria were found having their expiry dates tampered with by extending their shelf life," said Abiaz Rwamiri, the NDA public relations manager.
"Tampering with expiry dates of diagnostic kits is not only illegal but also dangerous, as it hampers medical treatment, giving unreliable results which makes it difficult for doctors to prescribe the right medication," he told New Vision.
"In a worst case scenario like of HIV, it increases spread of the virus and some people can be subjected to unnecessary medication due to a false result."
Recent arrests
Earlier in March, an NDA enforcement team arrested seven suspects that were vending drugs in open shift markets of Bukhaweka and Butilu in Namisindwa district and Arapai in Soroti city.
Those suspects were found illegally displaying, selling, and advertising medicine in the open, under sweltering heat.
Eleven boxes of assorted medicine, including ARVs, antimalarials, HIV testing kits, veterinary medicine and unregistered herbal products were impounded.
Also in March, NDA followed through on a court directive to donate 64,800 doses of ARVs it (NDA) had impounded last November, which had been stolen from Kamuli Hospital.
The order was issued by the Chief Magistrate of the Makindye Utilities Court.
NDA handed over all the ARVs to Kayunga Regional Hospital, who would then distribute them to the six districts of Luwero, Kayunga, Buikwe, Mukono, Nakasongola and Buvuma.
▪️ Kayunga Hospital receives over 64,000 doses of impounded ARVs
The suspects included Ronald Kibalya Nditusawa, a health worker at Kamuli Hospital, who was intercepted with 12 boxes containing 720 tins of ARVs (64,800) doses clearly market government of Uganda not for sale.
At the time, he was reportedly delivering them for sale in Nansana in Wakiso district.
Kibalya was arrested along with Moses Mwesigwa, Walter Bwambale and Godfrey Mumbere as they reportedly tried to move the stolen drugs from a salon car.
At the time of those key arrests, NDA said it had recovered stolen government drugs worth over sh2.5 billion.