Dr. Stephen Lutoti
By Our Reporters
Members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda are in worry that their secretary, Dr. Stephen Lutoti, could successfully lead to its final collapse if the supervisor, the Ministry of Health, does not intervene to save the situation.
According to reports, Uganda’s Pharmaceutical Society (PSU) is teetering on the edge of disaster, with shocking revelations of corruption, bribery, and worker exploitation emerging from within.
The current Secretary of the Society, Dr. Lutoti, whose actions have been described as cancer eating away at the very fabric of the profession, is at the center of these disturbing allegations.
“If urgent action is not taken, the society, which should be a pillar of integrity in healthcare, risks plunging the pharmacy profession into ruin,” the report says.
Dr. Lutoti is under fire for using his powerful position to solicit bribes from universities in exchange for curriculum approvals. These include Busitema University, Finns Medical University, and many others.
He is also accused of deliberately delaying the release of exam results for interns who passed the pre-registration examinations of the society.
Members say holding onto these results for over a month, Lutoti manipulated the system to control the number of professionals entering the field, causing unnecessary delays and frustration for young pharmacists ready to serve the nation.
“When these universities failed to meet his outrageous financial demands, they were subjected to delays and punitive measures. The allegations are chilling: money exchanged hands in secretive suburban locations, far from the public eye, and without any accountability.”.
The society is also said to have been gripped by the widespread corruption at its highest levels.
“It is now clear that the Secretary has been making critical decisions without any oversight from the governing council. No official records or council minutes exist to back up his decisions, raising serious questions about the legitimacy of his actions.”.
Lutoti is further accused of fraudulently securing himself an insurance, which he is not entitled to.
“His ability to manipulate the legal system is equally alarming—allegations of bribing the court to win a crucial appeal in case number HCT-04-CR-0020-2011 have surfaced, adding yet another layer of corruption to an already troubling situation.”
“The current Secretary has tarnished the reputation of the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda, once seen as a cornerstone of the healthcare system. His unchecked greed and blatant disregard for ethical standards have put the entire profession at risk, and the future of pharmacy practice in Uganda hangs in the balance.
The report calls on the Ministry of Health to step in before the situation spirals out of control and consider merging it with other health regulatory bodies to form the Uganda Health Professionals Authority.
The report notes that a unified body would restore integrity, transparency, and accountability, ensuring that no single individual can hold the entire profession hostage through corruption and exploitation.
