Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced a sweeping crackdown on substandard and counterfeit medicines following an impromptu visit to the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) headquarters in Nairobi.
His directive comes amid rising concern over the quality and safety of drugs circulating in the country.
Duale Oders Immediate Market Sweep and Prosecutions
Duale ordered the PPB to begin an immediate nationwide removal of counterfeit, substandard, and unregistered pharmaceutical products.
He further instructed that all individuals and businesses involved in selling illicit medicines face prosecution.
To strengthen oversight, the goverment has called for the fast-tracking of a national track-and-trace system that will monitor pharmaceutical products from manufacture or importation to the final point of sale.
Safeguards for Public Protection
In a move aimed at shielding consumers from unsafe products, Duale announced that the Social Health Authority (SHA) will not reimburse any medicine that has not been certified by the PPB.
The CS emphasised that protecting Kenyans from harmful medicines is a national priority and that regulation must keep pace with the evolving pharmaceutical landscape.
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