Dr Christine Tashobya Appointed to Head Uganda's New Health Products Authority

The Ugandan Cabinet has approved a new seven-member board for the National Drug and Health Products Authority (NDHPA), marking a major shift in the country’s regulatory framework. The statutory institution replaces the former National Drug Authority (NDA) and is tasked with providing broader oversight over medicines, medical equipment, diagnostics, and cosmetics.

Public health specialist Dr Christine Kirunga Tashobya has been appointed to chair the board. With 35 years of experience in public health and health systems governance, Dr Tashobya brings extensive academic and practical expertise to the role. She holds a PhD in Public Health from Antwerp, Belgium, alongside Master’s degrees in Demography and Health Policy, Planning and Financing from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Previously, she served as a senior planner in the Ministry of Health for over a decade.

Dr Tashobya succeeds Dr Medard Bitekyerezo, who had led the previous NDA framework since 2017. The transition follows the enactment of the National Drug and Health Products Authority Act, 2026, which President Yoweri Museveni assented to in April 2026. This new legislation officially repeals the 1993 National Drug Policy and Authority Act, significantly broadening the regulatory scope to protect consumers from substandard and unsafe health products beyond conventional pharmaceuticals.

Joining Dr Tashobya on the new board are six members representing diverse fields such as law, biomedical engineering, financial management, traditional medicine, and consumer advocacy. They include Dr Jerome Mpaata Owagage, Eng. Tadeo Byabagambi, Margret Nalwoga, Catherine Adok, Dr Francis Omujal, and Nasuur Gaddaffi. The newly appointed board members will serve a four-year term with eligibility for one reappointment.

Read the original story on Nile Post.