NAIROBI, Kenya – The Ministry of Health has announced plans to outlaw the delivery of antibiotics through boda boda riders as part of a nationwide crackdown on counterfeit medicines and the illegal online sale of prescription drugs.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the move is aimed at tightening control over prescription medicines, which should only be dispensed through licensed pharmacies under the supervision of qualified professionals.
Speaking during the launch of a national initiative to combat counterfeit medical products, Duale warned that the practice of ordering antibiotics online and having them delivered to homes by motorbike riders would soon be phased out.
“Very soon, the story where from the comfort of your house you order an antibiotic, pay and a boda boda delivers it will be history in Kenya,” Duale said.
The CS said the government will convene a summit at the end of July bringing together both national and county governments to align enforcement measures, adding that Kenya intends to position itself as a regional leader in the fight against falsified medical products.
Duale reaffirmed the mandate of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) as the sole regulator of medical products, stressing that all medicines sold in the country must meet strict safety, quality and efficacy standards.
He warned that criminal networks involved in the manufacture, importation, distribution and sale of counterfeit medicines will be dismantled and those responsible prosecuted.
“The actions being taken by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board have the highest political backing, and they are in the interest of the Kenyan patient. You either play by the law or look for another country to do business,” he said.
The CS noted that counterfeit drug syndicates often operate across borders and outside institutional mandates, calling for a coordinated, multi-agency response across all levels of government.
“These criminal networks do not recognise jurisdictional boundaries. Our response cannot operate in silos,” he added.
Duale also urged Kenyans to avoid buying prescription medicines through social media platforms or unauthorised delivery services, warning that such practices expose patients to serious health risks.
Health authorities say the proliferation of substandard and falsified medicines has contributed to treatment failure, rising antimicrobial resistance and, in severe cases, deaths.
Data from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board shows that between 2021 and 2025, the regulator handled 1,413 product quality complaints, coordinated 99 product recalls, received 32,833 adverse drug reaction reports and issued 18 public alerts on suspected falsified medicines.