KAMPALA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan authorities said on Sunday that arrests have been made over the distribution of counterfeit hepatitis B vaccines in the country.

"Some suspects have been arrested and are currently under police custody to assist with investigations while others have recorded statements at the respective police stations," State Minister of Health (General Duties) Sarah Achieng Opendi said in a statement.

On Tuesday, the National Drug Authority (NDA) announced the discovery of counterfeit hepatitis B vaccines in the country.

Opendi said the NDA, during its routine post-marketing surveillance, encountered falsified hepatitis B vaccines from eight health facilities in the districts of Mbarara, Mbale, Wakiso and Kampala.

She said those facilities bought the counterfeit vaccines from unlicensed dealers with fake addresses on the invoices and receipts.

Some hepatitis B vaccines have been recalled, and authorities have urged the public to receive hepatitis B vaccination from only accredited private facilities and government health facilities.

Hepatitis B is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV), which can cause chronic infection and puts people at higher risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer.