UNATU, APSU call for review of drugs bill
By Issa Kigongo
A brewing dispute over the National Drug and Health Products Authority (NDHPA) Bill 2025 has escalated, drawing cross-sector support – with the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) formally throwing its weight behind pharmaceutical scientists in a direct appeal to President Yoweri Museveni.
The agitation was sparked on Sunday, March 29, when the Association for Pharmaceutical Scientists of Uganda (APSU) issued a public notice criticizing a specific clause in the proposed legislation.
The bill dictates that “the manufacture of drugs shall be done under the direct supervision of a ‘pharmacist’.” APSU argued that this narrow phrasing sidelines other highly trained experts and urged legislators to replace “pharmacist” with “a Qualified Person (QP)” to foster professional collaboration and industry innovation.
Now, the pushback has gained powerful new allies.
In a letter dated Monday, March 31, addressed directly to the Ugandan President, UNATU declared its “solidarity with pharmaceutical workers on professional inclusion and equitable practices” regarding the NDHPA Bill 2025.
While the bill directly regulates the pharmaceutical industry, UNATU warned that the legislation’s restrictive language would have severe ripple effects across the broader economy. The teachers’ union emphasized the inherently multidisciplinary nature of Uganda’s scientific workforce, noting that various professionals make critical contributions to the field.
According to UNATU, legally marginalizing certain scientific professionals threatens to undermine the country’s education sector and overall skills development. The union argued that if specialized scientific roles are restricted by law, it disincentivizes students from pursuing diverse STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) pathways, ultimately starving the nation of the diverse talent needed for industrial growth.
Together, APSU and UNATU are framing the opposition to the clause not merely as an internal professional turf war, but as a critical issue of national development.
“Clause 31’s restriction to pharmacists overlooks the multidisciplinary nature of pharmaceutical manufacturing. Pharmaceutical scientists, industrial chemists, and microbiologists play critical roles in ensuring product quality and safety. I advocate for revising Clause 31 to recognize ‘Qualified Persons’ with relevant expertise, aligning with WHO guidelines and promoting inclusivity, innovation, and Uganda’s pharmaceutical growth,” Imam Matsiko Yahya Mwinekaruuza, a pharmacist and President of Runyakitara Dawah said.
As the NDHPA Bill 2025 continues to undergo legislative scrutiny, this unified front of educators and scientists is ramping up pressure on the Presidency and Parliament.
Both unions insist that modernizing the bill to recognize a “Qualified Person” is essential to protecting Uganda’s multidisciplinary scientific workforce, ensuring equitable practices, and securing the future of the country’s pharmaceutical and educational sectors.
