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KAMPALA — A massive drug scandal has rocked Uganda’s medical world after the National Drug Authority (NDA) ordered an emergency recall of a dangerous anaesthetic linked to life-threatening surgical complications in hospitals across the country.
At the heart of the storm are two big names: Abacus Pharma (A) Ltd — Uganda’s biggest drug distributor, and Troikaa Pharmaceuticals Ltd — an Indian manufacturer accused of exporting a faulty anaesthetic drug into Uganda’s health system.
The drug, Bupitroy Heavy (Bupivacaine 0.5%), was supposed to numb pain during surgery. Instead, it’s now being blamed for failing mid-operation, leaving terrified patients awake and in agony on the operating table.
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“Class A” Panic: NDA Sounds the Alarm
The NDA has classified the recall as “Class A” — the highest danger level, reserved for drugs that can kill if used.
“The drug lacks key active ingredients and could cause fatal outcomes if used in surgery,” warned NDA spokesperson Abiaz Rwamwiri on Tuesday.
Sources inside some hospitals in Kampala whispered to Red Pepper that patients were screaming in pain during operations — prompting doctors to suspect something was wrong with the anaesthetic.
How the Scandal Broke
NDA investigators traced the problem to Bupitroy Heavy, a spinal anaesthetic imported from India’s Troikaa Pharmaceuticals and distributed by Abacus Pharma.
Tests confirmed the medicine did not match the original approved formula — a red flag for substandard or counterfeit manufacturing.
The NDA has now deregistered the drug completely, banning any future imports unless Troikaa undergoes full re-inspection.
Abacus Under Fire
The spotlight now beams on Abacus Pharma, the East African drug empire accused of flooding hospitals with the faulty anaesthetic.
NDA has ordered Abacus to submit a full report listing every hospital, pharmacy, and clinic that received the drug — and to show proof of who has returned it.
Abacus, founded in 1995 by Indian businessman Ramesh Kumar, dominates the Ugandan market with over 41 branches, 7 warehouses, and 1,200 employees.
It also operates across Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi and manufactures other products like XSONE, CIPROCIN, and ABNAL.
The company’s headquarters, located inside the UMA Show Grounds, Kampala, were abuzz with tension yesterday as news of the recall spread.
Repeated calls to top bosses went unanswered, and by press time, no official statement had been released.
The Indian Manufacturer in Question
The recalled anaesthetic was made by Troikaa Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a giant Indian drug maker founded in 1983 and based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Troikaa brags of exporting to over 120 countries, but NDA tests show that the batch sent to Uganda missed critical ingredients, making it virtually useless — and dangerous.
Ironically, Troikaa markets itself as a “research-driven company known for world-class quality.”
Doctors Terrified
Medics who spoke to Red Pepper on condition of anonymity said the discovery has sent shockwaves through the health sector.
“Imagine operating on a woman in labour and she starts feeling pain halfway through. It’s terrifying,” one anaesthetist at Mulago Hospital revealed.
“We had to abandon some procedures because the drug wasn’t working,” added another from a private clinic in Gulu.
Drug Watchdog Tightens Grip
The NDA says all Bupitroy Heavy stock must be withdrawn immediately, sealed off, and returned for destruction.
Any hospital or pharmacy caught using or hiding the drug faces criminal charges.
The authority has also launched a sweeping audit of all anaesthetic imports to find out how the killer drug slipped past regulatory checks.
Bigger Questions, Bigger Mess
This scandal reopens an old wound — how substandard and fake drugs continue to flood Uganda’s market, endangering lives while big pharma players cash in.
Uganda has previously battled fake paracetamol, counterfeit malaria drugs, and toxic cough syrups, many from the same countries now under scrutiny.
Analysts are asking tough questions:
Who approved the import of this batch?
How did it pass NDA’s quality control?
Were health officials bribed to look the other way?
The Bottom Line
As the NDA scrambles to contain the crisis, thousands of vials of Bupitroy Heavy remain unaccounted for across Uganda.
For now, there are no confirmed deaths, but medics warn it’s only a matter of time before the drug claims victims.
This is not just a story about one bad drug — it’s a wake-up call about how easily lives can be put at risk when profit and oversight collide.
As one senior doctor put it bluntly:
“If regulators don’t act fast, Uganda could become a dumping ground for pharmaceutical poison.”
