The National Drug Authority (NDA), in collaboration with the police, has arrested Dr. David Ssali, a herbalist, on charges of spreading misleading information, particularly his assertion of curing HIV/AIDS using onion concoctions.
According to Abiaz Rwamwiri, the spokesperson for NDA, the arrest was prompted by public outcry and intelligence gathered by the Drug Enforcement Agency and the police.
“Dr. Ssali has been unlawfully utilizing social media platforms, particularly TikTok, to promote unapproved drugs and make deceptive claims about treatments and cures, including the alleged cure for HIV/AIDS using onions,” stated Rwamwiri.
One of Dr. Ssali’s TikTok videos featured a claim that an individual in China had been “cured” of HIV/AIDS through an onion supplement prescribed by him.
Rwamwiri said that NDA considers this information to be misleading and potentially harmful, with the potential for severe health complications, including fatalities.
“Some individuals have developed kidney-related complications due to the consumption of his concoction, which was prepared in unsanitary conditions and consumed in unregulated quantities,” he warned.
He urged the public to exercise caution when seeking healthcare services to avoid falling victim to unscrupulous “health practitioners.”
Rwamwiri also said that Dr. Ssali operated a clinic in Kampala without the required license from the Allied Health Professionals Council.
“We discovered that he was running an unlicensed clinic in an unsanitary environment. Additionally, he was found promoting and selling more than 20 unlicensed products,” he said.