Pharmacy society withdraws recognition of MUST degree, warns Victoria University over 364 students

The Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda (PSU) has withdrawn recognition of the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) and warned Victoria University over alleged excessive student admissions and online examinations.

The decision against MUST takes immediate effect, leaving pharmacy students facing uncertainty over their qualifications, internships and professional examinations.

In a public notice dated October 19, 2026, PSU secretary Dr Stephen Lutoti said the society's council reached the decision after MUST failed to address concerns over staffing and leadership of its pharmacy department.

The society accused the university of allowing a nurse to head the department in an acting capacity despite the specialised requirements of pharmacy training.

It also cited inadequate staffing and the university's failure to advertise the position of head of department for permanent appointment.

The concerns first emerged during PSU's 127th ordinary council meeting on September 4, 2026.

On September 10, the society issued a notice giving MUST 30 days to explain why its pharmacy programme should retain recognition and why students should not transfer to other institutions.

However, PSU said the university failed to respond within the stipulated period.

At its 61st emergency council meeting, the society resolved to withdraw recognition of the programme.

The decision carries consequences for students pursuing pharmacy degrees at MUST.

PSU said it would not recognise qualifications obtained from courses taught or assessed during the period of withdrawal.

The society has also suspended the issuance of pharmacy student numbers, recognition of internship placements and eligibility for pre-internship and pre-registration qualifying examinations for new MUST graduates.

Current students have been advised to transfer to universities whose programmes PSU recognises or wait for MUST to address the concerns.

The society said it would conduct another inspection once the university implements the required changes.

In a separate development, PSU has questioned Victoria University over reports that it admitted 364 students to its Bachelor of Pharmacy programme during the August and September 2026 intake.

In a letter dated October 16, 2026, Lutoti asked the university's vice chancellor to confirm the reported admissions and provide a list of students for verification.

According to PSU, Victoria University received accreditation from the National Council for Higher Education, in consultation with the society, to admit no more than 50 pharmacy students per academic year.

If confirmed, the reported intake of 364 students would exceed that limit by 314 students.

The society warned that exceeding the approved intake would breach training standards and could lead to withdrawal of recognition.

"Any deviations from this is a violation of the standards and the program risks being de-recognized," Lutoti wrote.

PSU also directed Victoria University to stop conducting online examinations for pharmacy students until it introduces adequate quality assurance measures and obtains the society's approval.

The university was given seven working days to respond to the concerns.

Unlike MUST, Victoria University's pharmacy programme has not had its recognition withdrawn under the latest communication.

The developments come months after PSU announced recognition of pharmacy programmes at several universities, including MUST and Victoria University, in April 2026. Eagle Online+1

They also come amid a dispute over the society's regulatory powers. In September, the Ministry of Health directed PSU to stop issuing annual practising licences, saying the authority belonged to the Pharmacy Board and its registrar. Monitor+1

PSU maintains that its latest actions seek to protect pharmacy education standards under Section 22(2) of the Pharmacy and Drugs Act.

The two universities had not provided responses to the latest allegations in the information available at publication.