"The reality is when you look at our medicines, they are bought from India or China. Certainly, drugs from the United Kingdom are more expensive. The issue of affordability exists and that is a fact," he said.
Kyebambe also noted that the fake drugs labeled "Made in China" are not actually made in China.
Robert Mugabe, a pharmacy technician, argued that ordinary patients may not necessarily differentiate a genuine drug from a fake one.
Some patients do not follow prescriptions and just swallow, say, half the dose of the medicine, which can not completely kill the malaria parasites, he said.
Such a patient will complain that the medicine is fake and yet it is actually genuine medication abused by the patient, he said.
He said all drugs have side effects and that different patients react differently to different medication depending on their physical make-up.
Edward Kironde Naddumba, director of China-Uganda Friendship Hospital, echoed Mugabe.
"These drugs are of high quality and effective when it comes to treating malaria. The problem is that most patients self medicate. When people get signs of malaria, they self mediate. People need to get a malaria test before starting treatment," said Naddumba.
He also said the allegations that one third of the anti-malaria drugs come from China is not true due to lack of particular study.
"The statement lacks scientific evidence. NDA know all the drugs that come into the country, they test all the drugs," he said.
"China has played a very active role in helping the people of Uganda. China continues to show commitment to attending the deficiencies and equipments to run this hospital," he said.
Asuman Lukwago, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, described the allegations as mudslinger in the pharmaceutical industry.
"I think this is a campaign story, which I feel should not be taken too seriously," he said.
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