This archive report was first published on 11 October 2021.
Published on October 11, 2021, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board has raised the alarm over the sale of fake cough syrups and antibiotics in Kenya.
Inspectors from the board recently impounded drugs valued at Sh2 million being brought into the country via porous borders. The fakes were reportedly being ferried by individuals without requisite documentation, who could not explain the origin of the items.
Notably, the board has closed 40 unlicensed pharmacies in Nairobi, while similar crackdowns in counties have led to the arrest of medicine hawkers and quacks trading in restricted medicines in open-air markets.
With the lucrative pharmaceutical industry being infiltrated by cartels and illegal importers, the risk of buying counterfeit medicines is high. The quality and safety challenge is more pronounced on prescription drugs, with some dealers marketing dubious substances as Covid-19 medication.
It is imperative for the board and other regulators to be vigilant in their operations. Illegal outlets and the shadowy characters behind them should be brought to book, while practitioners guilty of poor work ethics should be dealt with accordingly.
