The National Drug Authority (NDA) has stated that it has yet to determine whether all users of Replenish, a ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) prescribed for severely malnourished individuals, experienced adverse reactions.
This follows a Ministry of Health directive to Chief Administrative Officers across the country to immediately suspend the use of Replenish RUTF.
The suspension was issued after reports that the therapeutic food, distributed by the National Medical Stores (NMS), caused adverse reactions in children, including severe diarrhea and vomiting.
NDA spokesperson Abiaz Rwamwiri revealed that most of the reported adverse reactions occurred in Karamoja, where samples of the product were collected. While the NDA is still gathering samples from other regions, preliminary surveillance reports from West Nile indicate that users in the area did not experience any issues.
Rwamwiri added that it remains unclear whether only the batch sent to Karamoja was contaminated or if the problem affects the entire production line. The authority is continuing its investigations to determine the exact cause of the adverse reactions.
Therapeutic foods are considered crucial in addressing severe malnutrition. Amanda Murungi, a nutritionist at the Mwana Mugimu Nutrition Unit in Mulago, explained that these prescribed products are lifesaving, particularly for children under five with severe wasting. She described Replenish as a peanut-based paste containing sugar, milk powder, oil, vitamins, and minerals, which is highly effective in quickly restoring energy.
Murungi noted that her unit uses a different brand of therapeutic food and has not been affected by the suspension.
Sheila Nduhukire, the Public Relations Officer at the National Medical Stores, stated that Replenish has been used in Uganda for some time and that the reported reactions appear to be isolated incidents. She said the NMS is awaiting the NDA’s investigation results to determine the fate of the remaining stock.
However, Nduhukire declined to specify how many units of the product are currently in storage, which could be destroyed depending on the investigation’s findings.
