PSU Maintains Non-Recognition of MUST Pharmacy Programme

The Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda (PSU) has maintained its decision not to recognise the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), warning that students enrolled in the programme risk having their studies excluded from the training required to qualify as pharmacists. In a public notice dated October 27, 2026, the society said the programme would remain unrecognised until the university addresses concerns raised by its Council to the required standards. 

The notice, signed by PSU Secretary Dr Stephen Lutoti, advises parents, prospective students and the general public to seek written confirmation from the professional body before enrolling in pharmacy programmes in Uganda. PSU said any period of study undertaken under a programme it does not recognise would not count towards pharmacy training. It further warned that graduates of the affected programme would not be eligible for registration and licensure as pharmacists in Uganda under its current position. 

The society cited concerns over the adequacy of teaching facilities, staffing levels and clinical training sites, arguing that it had a statutory responsibility to safeguard standards in pharmacy education and professional practice. The latest notice follows a dispute between PSU and the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) over the status of MUST’s pharmacy degree. 

On October 21, NCHE clarified that the programme remained fully accredited, saying it was first accredited in 2010 and had undergone several re-accreditations. The most recent accreditation was granted on January 30, 2025, and is valid until 2036. NCHE said it had neither been involved in nor consulted on PSU’s decision to withdraw professional recognition, adding that the authority to recognise academic qualifications rests with the higher education regulator. 

The disagreement has raised questions about the respective powers of the two institutions, with NCHE responsible for academic programme accreditation and PSU overseeing professional standards and the registration of pharmacists. The dispute began after PSU raised concerns about staffing and leadership in MUST’s Department of Pharmacy. The society said the department had been headed in an acting capacity by a non-pharmacist, that academic staffing was inadequate, and that the university had not advertised the position of substantive head of department. 

PSU said it issued the university a show-cause notice on September 10, 2026, giving it 30 days to explain why recognition should not be withdrawn. The society subsequently announced the withdrawal of recognition on October 19. MUST has taken steps to address the concerns, including appointing registered pharmacist Dr Jonans Tusiimire as acting head of the Department of Pharmacy for an initial three-month period, effective October 19. Tusiimire is also the president of PSU.

The university’s students’ association has urged students to remain calm as the institution works to address the concerns. The consequences of the dispute extend beyond the university’s authority to teach the degree. PSU has said it would suspend the issuance of pharmacy student numbers, recognition of internship placements, and eligibility for pre-internship and pre-registration qualifying examinations for new MUST graduates until compliance is restored.

The society has also warned that it would not recognise qualifications obtained from courses taught or assessed during the period of de-recognition. The latest notice does not resolve the disagreement with NCHE, which maintains that MUST’s programme remains accredited and that teaching and learning should continue. 

The Ministry of Education and Sports and the Attorney General have been drawn into the dispute, with Parliament seeking clarification on the legal framework governing the respective mandates of NCHE and PSU. The disagreement has left students and parents seeking clarity on whether completing the degree at MUST will allow graduates to proceed through the professional examinations, internship and registration requirements needed to practise pharmacy in Uganda.