20 quack doctors have been arrested in a joint operation conducted on Tuesday by a team of Kalungu district officials, Allied Health Professional Council and Police. The team also closed 11 clinics and a nursing school for operating without authorization. Some of the suspects include Alfred Odoi of Jerome Clinic, Margaret Nankiindu of Medical Cure Clinic, Pastor Richard Bugembe of Nankya Medical Care, Victor Nabukalu of Life Care Clinic and Mildred Nabuuma of Saab medical Clinic.
The team also picked up several unqualified women they found operating as nurses. They include Teddy Najjemba, Justine Tusabe, Winnie Nassolo, Lillian Babirye and Anent Kankwaazi. Dr Mutaawe Lubogo, the Kalungu district medical officer says that they picked up the suspects because they found them operating illegally.
He says that during the operation they found the suspects treating patients with expired anti-malarial and sexual enhancement drugs. Dr. Lubogo explains that because the suspects are not qualified and they use expired drugs, which could have adverse effects on their unsuspecting victims.
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Michael Kayizi Mubiru, the Regional Supervisor of the Allied Health Professional Council says most of the suspects were found operating with an operation license in breach of the public health act. He says the suspects face up to three years in jail, once convicted by court.
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Silver Otuko, the Lukaya Criminal Investigations officer told URN this afternoon that they were still recording statements from the suspects before they arraign them court. He said the suspects will be charged with operating illegally contrary to the Allied health professional act, violation of public safety act and dispensing expired drugs.
But Alfred Odoi, one of the suspects says that he is qualified medical practitioner from Makerere University, despite the fact he didn’t have documents to prove his claims. Obama told the team that e had submitted his documents to the National Drug Authority, but he has not yet received a response. Margaret Nankiindu, who was found at Medical Cure Clinic, told Police that she was only visiting the clinic, when she was picked up.
She however, declined to reveal the identity of the clinic. Early this year, a quack doctor was arrested in Kalangala for allegedly transfusing Mirinda fruity into a patient in Sembabule leading to her death. The suspect Mathias Bagalana was however released by police without charge citing lack of a complainant.
