By Our Reporter
The Uganda Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (UPSA) has called for calm among pharmacy students at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), following the withdrawal of recognition of the university’s Bachelor of Pharmacy programme by the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda (PSU).
The association says the university administration has begun addressing the concerns raised by the professional body, including appointing a registered pharmacist to head the Pharmacy Department and securing approval to recruit additional academic staff.
In a statement issued on October 19, 2026, UPSA said the developments followed a meeting involving the university administration, led by the Vice Chancellor, representatives of pharmacy students, the Deputy Dean of the School of Medicine, the President of PSU and UPSA President Katugume Royce.
According to the association, MUST has appointed Dr Jonans Tusiimire, a registered pharmacist, as Acting Head of the Pharmacy Department while the university undertakes the process of appointing a substantive head.
Tusiimire, who is also President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda, serves as Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Senior Lecturer of Pharmacy at MUST.
The university also confirmed that it had received the necessary wage allocation and approval on October 14, 2026, to advertise additional positions within the department.
UPSA welcomed the measures and encouraged students to remain focused on their studies as the university works towards meeting the required professional standards.
The association also called upon institutions offering pharmacy programmes across Uganda to comply with the Pharmacy and Drugs Act and other regulatory requirements to safeguard students’ academic and professional futures.
Tusiimire explains appointment and calls for dialogue
In a statement posted on X, Dr Jonans Tusiimire confirmed that the MUST Vice Chancellor had requested him to take interim charge of the Pharmacy Department following communication from the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda’s Council.
Tusiimire said he accepted the appointment alongside his existing responsibilities as Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Senior Lecturer in the department.
He explained that the Faculty of Health Sciences, under which the Pharmacy Department falls, is the university’s oldest and largest faculty, comprising 25 academic departments offering more than 40 accredited programmes at Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD levels.
Tusiimire, who has served as Deputy Dean for five years, said his responsibilities include overseeing undergraduate programmes across the faculty, including the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme.
He also defended the professional contribution of his predecessor, Dr Esther Atukunda, whose appointment as Acting Head of Department had been among the concerns raised by PSU.
According to Tusiimire, Atukunda holds a Bachelor of Nursing Science degree from Makerere University, a Master of Public Health from the University of Leeds and a PhD in Pharmacoepidemiology.
He said Atukunda had contributed to the training of pharmacists at MUST for more than a decade and remained one of the university’s prominent researchers.
Although she is not a pharmacist by professional qualification, Tusiimire maintained that her contribution to the department and the university deserved recognition.
PSU President questions approach to dispute
Tusiimire acknowledged that the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda may have acted within its statutory mandate in withdrawing recognition of the programme but questioned whether a different approach could have better served the institutions and the public.
He explained that his position as PSU President and his employment at MUST placed him under separate institutional obligations.
As President of PSU, he said he was bound by decisions of the Society’s Council, regardless of his personal views, while his responsibilities at MUST required him to respect the university’s policies and administrative decisions.
Tusiimire said he declares any conflict of interest and withdraws from the relevant decision-making processes to allow independent judgement.
He rejected suggestions that he had influenced decisions taken by either institution.
He maintained that neither MUST nor PSU could attribute their respective decisions to interference on his part, adding that the matters were being handled through official channels.
Tusiimire urged students, staff and the public to remain calm as the two institutions work towards resolving the dispute.
He expressed confidence in MUST’s ability to provide quality pharmacy education and said both institutions shared a responsibility to maintain professional standards and strengthen Uganda’s pharmaceutical workforce.
Pharmaceutical Society withdraws recognition
The developments follow a decision by the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda to withdraw recognition of MUST’s Bachelor of Pharmacy programme with immediate effect.
In a public notice dated October 19, 2026, PSU Secretary Dr Stephen Lutoti said the decision followed concerns over inadequate staffing and the appointment of a non-pharmacist to head the Pharmacy Department.
According to the Society, its 127th Ordinary Council Meeting, held on September 4, 2026, established that the department was being headed in an acting capacity by a nurse despite offering a Bachelor of Pharmacy programme recognised by the PSU Council.
The Council also noted that the department had an inadequate number of academic staff and that the university had not advertised the position of substantive Head of Department.
Following these findings, PSU issued a show-cause notice to MUST on September 10, 2026, requiring the university to explain within 30 days why recognition of the programme should not be withdrawn and students transferred to other recognised institutions.
The Society said MUST failed to respond within the stipulated period.
Consequently, during its 61st Emergency Council Meeting, PSU resolved to withdraw recognition of the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme with immediate effect.
What the decision means for students
The withdrawal has implications for students pursuing pharmacy qualifications at MUST, particularly those preparing for internships and professional registration.
According to PSU, qualifications obtained where courses were taught or assessed during the period of de-recognition will not be recognised by its Council.
The Society has also suspended the issuance of pharmacy student numbers, recognition of internship placements and eligibility to sit pre-internship and pre-registration qualifying examinations for new MUST graduates until compliance is restored.
These restrictions could delay affected graduates from completing the professional requirements necessary to practise as pharmacists.
PSU has advised students currently enrolled in the programme to either seek transfers to other universities recognised by its Council or remain at MUST while awaiting the institution’s compliance with regulatory requirements.
The notice does not indicate that qualifications awarded before the withdrawal have been retrospectively invalidated.
What the law provides
The Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda has cited Section 22(2) of the Pharmacy and Drugs Act, Cap. 309, as the legal basis for its regulatory responsibilities.
Under Section 22(2)(a), the Council is mandated to provide for qualifying examinations for membership of the Society or registration as a pharmacist and to prescribe or approve courses of study for those examinations.
Section 22(2)(b) requires the Council to maintain and publish a register of pharmacists.
Section 22(2)(c) further empowers the Council to supervise and regulate the engagement, training and transfer of pharmacy students and make provisions for their registration.
The law places responsibility on the Council to safeguard professional standards in pharmacy training and ensure that individuals seeking registration meet the prescribed requirements.
The withdrawal of professional recognition by PSU should, however, be distinguished from institutional accreditation, which falls under the regulatory framework governing higher education in Uganda.
University awaits further assessment
Although MUST has taken steps to address the concerns, the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda has not announced the restoration of recognition of the programme.
PSU indicated in its notice that a follow-up inspection would be conducted should the university comply with the findings communicated to its Vice Chancellor and address the issues raised in the show-cause notice.
The inspection will assess whether the university has met the necessary requirements before further action is taken.
Meanwhile, UPSA has urged institutions facing regulatory concerns to engage constructively with PSU and relevant authorities before such matters escalate and affect students’ welfare.
