Uganda: Children Hospitalised After Butebo Drug Mix-Up Out of Danger

What the report says

Health officials in Uganda say children hospitalised after a medication mix-up during a community outreach in Butebo District are now out of danger and expected to be discharged. According to The Independent, the incident happened during an Integrated Child Health Day activity in Kabwangasi Town Council, where 23 children were given carbamazepine, an anticonvulsant, instead of mebendazole, which is used to treat worm infections.

The wrong medicine led to serious symptoms in several children, including drowsiness, reduced consciousness, convulsions and vomiting. One two-year-old boy died, while 16 others were admitted to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. Seven children treated at Kabwangasi Health Centre III had already been discharged by Monday and were recovering well, the report said.

Julius Mayengo of Uganda’s National Drug Authority said the admitted children had stabilised and were expected to leave hospital soon. The government has formed a multidisciplinary team to investigate how the error occurred, and a scientific report is expected later in the week. The Ministry of Health has also sent experts to Mbale and Butebo to look into the cause and recommend safeguards.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda said the episode points to ongoing weaknesses in medicine handling during outreach services and noted a similar incident earlier this year. The case has renewed attention on drug safety, dispensing controls and oversight in community health programmes, especially where children are involved.