By Mulengera Reporter
Medicines regulator National Drug Authority (NDA) has cautioned the public against using a falsified HIV human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro diagnostic medical device (IVD) that has hit the market in Kenya, Uganda’s eastern neighbour.
Besides Kenya, the World health Organization (WHO) said its Global Surveillance and Monitoring System (GSMS) for substandard/falsified medical products had found that at least 8,240 falsified rapid diagnostic tests to detect HIV-1/2 had been distributed in Guyana at end-user level.
NDA Secretary David Nahamya noted that although there was a claim that the falsified Uni-Gold™ HIV was manufactured by Trinity Biotech plc, “the genuine manufacturer (Trinity Biotech plc) has confirmed that the genuine lot HIV7120026 expired in 2019.”
NDA and WHO have since blacklisted the diagnostic device with the lot number (HIV7120026), and an expiry date of 5 DEC 2020.
Nahamya has asked members of the public to report this device to the authority. “The public is urged to exercise extra vigilance as well as report any presence of the above falsified Uni-Gold™ HIV in Uganda to NDA on WhatsApp: 0791 415 555, Email: ndaug@nda.or.ug, Toll Free line: 0800-101-999 or Not Free lines: 0417 788 100, 0417 788 101, 417 788 124 , 417 788 129,” he said. (For comments on this story, call, text or whatsapp us on 0705579994, 0779411734, 0200900416 or email us at mulengera2040@gmail.com).
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