Health CS Duale vows zero tolerance for unregistered medicines

KENYA—Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale has instructed the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) to enforce full compliance with the law and to take strong regulatory action against any person or organization that compromises the health and safety of Kenyans.

During his first visit to the Board, CS Duale demanded the swift removal of all substandard, falsified, poor-quality, counterfeit, and unregistered medicines from the Kenyan market.

He emphasized that anyone involved in distributing or selling such medicines must face arrest and prosecution.

CS Duale highlighted the critical need for parallel importation to follow the Pharmacy and Poisons (Parallel Imported Medicinal Substances) Rules, 2019.

He directed the Board to step up surveillance efforts to stop illegal license leasing, which undermines regulatory efforts.

This visit underscored Kenya’s commitment to strengthening its regulatory systems as the country aims to achieve the World Health Organization’s Maturity Level 3 (ML3) certification for health products and technologies.

In a meeting with PPB leadership, CS Duale discussed ongoing challenges and explored sustainable solutions to support Kenya’s Taifa Care Model.

He urged the team to maintain transparency, accountability, and integrity in line with Chapter Six of the Constitution and to foster a positive environment for effective healthcare service delivery.

The Cabinet Secretary emphasized protective measures for Kenyan consumers, stating that the Social Health Authority (SHA) will not reimburse any medicines that lack PPB certification.

He also announced the introduction of a track-and-trace system to monitor medicines from their source all the way to the end consumer.

This system aims to enhance the safety and reliability of medicines available in Kenya.

Addressing PPB staff, Hon. Duale reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which places healthcare at the heart of national development efforts.

He explained that through BETA, the Government is focusing on strengthening Universal Health Coverage, improving access to essential medicines, and expanding local pharmaceutical manufacturing.

These efforts are intended to improve health outcomes and stimulate economic growth in the country.

The Health Cabinet Secretary was hosted by PPB leadership, including Board Chairperson Dr. John Munyu, and was accompanied by Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Ms. Mary Muthoni.