By Mulengera Reporters
The National Drug Authority (NDA) is commanding national attention following its recognition as a Uganda Drug Policy Actualization Champion by Public Opinions, earning the prestigious Responsible Investment Global Award 2026. The recognition has sparked widespread commendation from Ugandans across different walks of life, particularly leaders within the National Resistance Movement (NRM), who have applauded the Authority for its contribution to protecting public health and advancing Uganda’s healthcare gains.
The award, officially presented in October 2026, adds to another significant milestone for the Authority: its induction into the Uganda Best 12 Public Institutions Hall of Fame poster in recognition of its operational performance, institutional excellence and contribution to national development.
Under the leadership of Dr. David Nahamya, Secretary to the Authority, the NDA has continued to strengthen Uganda’s pharmaceutical regulatory framework, reinforcing public confidence in the safety, quality and effectiveness of medicines available across the country.
To celebrate these achievements and bring them closer to the public, Public Opinions has announced plans to distribute 500,000 commemorative posters nationwide through NRM structures, district leadership networks and retail outlets. The campaign is intended to showcase public institutions whose work contributes to national development and the implementation of government priorities.
Public Opinions Chief Executive Officer, Adam Buyinza Luzindana, noted that the National Drug Authority’s recognition reflects the importance of its statutory mandate in ensuring the continuous availability of safe, efficacious and cost-effective human and veterinary medicines throughout Uganda.
The recognition also comes at a time when the Government of Uganda, under President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, is prioritizing the protection of healthcare gains through the NRM Manifesto 2026–2031, themed “Protecting the Gains.” The manifesto places emphasis on strengthening the health sector, improving access to quality healthcare and enhancing the country’s capacity to detect and eliminate counterfeit medicines, vaccines, medical equipment and substandard dietary supplements.
The NDA’s regulatory interventions directly support these priorities by protecting citizens against dangerous, falsified and substandard medical products while promoting an efficient, reliable and accountable pharmaceutical sector.
Safeguarding Uganda’s Pharmaceutical Sector
At the heart of the Authority’s operations is its responsibility to regulate medicines and healthcare products throughout their lifecycle, from importation and manufacturing to distribution and final sale.
The NDA exercises strict regulatory oversight over pharmacies, drug shops, pharmaceutical services and other licensed establishments. It controls the importation, exportation, distribution and sale of pharmaceutical products while conducting routine inspections, market surveillance, quality monitoring and laboratory testing to identify and eliminate unsafe medicines from circulation.
The Authority also evaluates and authorizes medicines before they enter the Ugandan market, reviews applications for pharmaceutical products, monitors national drug requirements and supports the uninterrupted supply of essential medicines to both public health facilities and private distributors.
Through licensing, compliance inspections, product recalls and enforcement measures against regulatory offenders, the NDA continues to strengthen accountability within the pharmaceutical industry.
Its work extends beyond regulation to promoting domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing, encouraging scientific research into indigenous herbal medicines and supporting the rational use of medicines through professional training, regulatory guidelines and public awareness programmes.
The Authority also provides technical advice to the Minister of Health on pharmaceutical policies, legislative reforms and other matters relating to the regulation and development of Uganda’s medicines sector.
International Standards and Measurable Regulatory Progress
The NDA’s institutional achievements are further reflected in its pursuit of internationally recognized quality management and laboratory standards.
Its National Drug Quality Control Laboratory has retained its World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification status, while the Authority maintains ISO 9001:2015 certification for its Quality Management System.
Additionally, the institution has secured ISO 17025 accreditation for medicines and medical devices and earned designation as a Centre of Excellence for Good Manufacturing Practice by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
These achievements reinforce the Authority’s capacity to undertake credible laboratory testing, pharmaceutical inspections and regulatory assessments in line with recognized international standards.
The Authority has also strengthened its pharmacovigilance systems for monitoring adverse drug reactions in both human and veterinary medicine, documenting more than 20,000 reports. Through its premarket authorization processes, it has evaluated thousands of product applications, contributing to an overall pharmaceutical market quality rate of 94 percent, according to the reported institutional performance figures.
Such progress demonstrates the importance of sustained investment in regulatory capacity, technical expertise, quality assurance and effective pharmaceutical oversight.
Dr. Nahamya’s Leadership and Institutional Transformation
Dr. David Nahamya has received commendation for his role in steering the Authority’s regulatory and institutional agenda. His leadership has been associated with efforts to strengthen professionalism, improve operational efficiency and reinforce the NDA’s responsibility to protect Ugandans from substandard and falsified medical products.
One of the notable developments under his leadership has been the acceleration of the Authority’s digital transformation agenda.
The NDA has migrated key regulatory workflows from the National Drug Authority Management Information System (NDAMIS) to the advanced Integrated Regulatory Information Management System (iRIMS).
The digital platform is designed to streamline regulatory processes, including online applications for premises licensing, import and export verification, drug registration and performance monitoring through interactive dashboards.
This transformation is expected to enhance service delivery, improve administrative efficiency, strengthen transparency and make regulatory services more accessible to stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector.
Driving the NRM Manifesto and National Development Agenda
The NDA’s contribution extends beyond the immediate healthcare environment. Its regulatory mandate intersects with several national development priorities under the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), particularly Human Capital Development, Manufacturing, Agro-Industrialization, Sustainable Energy and Private Sector Development.
By regulating pharmaceutical products and supporting the safe use of agricultural raw materials of plant and animal origin, the Authority contributes to the development of value chains, domestic manufacturing and the competitiveness of Uganda’s pharmaceutical industry.
Its work also supports the Government’s broader aspiration of building a resilient healthcare system capable of meeting the needs of Uganda’s growing population.
The NRM Manifesto 2026–2031 places particular emphasis on consolidating achievements in healthcare delivery and strengthening institutions responsible for protecting the population from counterfeit and substandard medical products. The NDA’s regulatory activities are directly relevant to these commitments.
Under President Museveni’s government, access to quality healthcare and the availability of safe medicines remain important elements of the national development agenda. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
