NAIROBI, Kenya- The Ministry of Health has urged Kenyans to confirm that pharmacies and chemists are licensed before buying medicines as the government intensifies efforts to remove falsified and substandard products from the market.
Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said patients must remain vigilant about where they purchase medicines and the products they receive.
Speaking on Tuesday during a high-level roundtable with the Kenya Healthcare Federation, Muthoni called for closer cooperation between the government, private healthcare providers and members of the public.
She said such collaboration was necessary to prevent falsified medicines from entering the country’s healthcare supply chain and reaching patients.
The Kenya Healthcare Federation brings together private health-sector organisations and works with the government on policies and regulations intended to improve healthcare and patient safety.
According to Muthoni, the government has intensified action against pharmacists and other traders who place financial gain ahead of patient safety.
She said addressing the problem would require cooperation across government agencies and society, including patients reporting suspicious medicines and unlicensed outlets.
The Ministry of Health, Pharmacy and Poisons Board and Digital Health Authority launched a medicine track-and-trace system in August.
The platform is intended to monitor medical products through the supply chain, from the manufacturer or importer to their final destination.
Authorities expect the system to improve accountability, make it easier to identify suspicious products and support the removal of unsafe medicines from circulation.
The ministry said 67 medical products had been recalled from the Kenyan market since January 2025. Legal action has also been taken against some sellers where investigations established grounds for prosecution.
A product may be recalled for several reasons, including quality problems, incorrect labelling, contamination or failure to meet required standards. A recall does not automatically mean that every affected product was falsified.
The Kenya Healthcare Federation pledged to support the government by reporting suspected cases involving falsified medicines.
The federation described the sale of such products as “medical terrorism,” warning that the practice places patients’ health and lives at risk.
It also announced plans to operationalise an internal tribunal to take action against members found to be involved in the trade.
The government is also seeking stronger surveillance at Kenya’s borders to stop falsified and unapproved medicines from entering from neighbouring countries or being transported out of Kenya.
Muthoni said the Pharmacy and Poisons Board had intensified inspections and patrols as part of the enforcement campaign.
Members of the public have been advised to buy medicines only from licensed pharmacies and chemists, check product packaging and avoid medicines sold through suspicious or informal channels.
They should report suspected falsified products or unlicensed outlets to the Pharmacy and Poisons Board or other relevant authorities.
