By Duncan Ammon
The Kenya Pharmaceutical Association (KPA) has sounded the alarm over the rampant sale of medicines by unqualified personnel and unregistered outlets, posing a significant risk to public health in the country. In a statement read by KPA Secretary-General Mr Erick Gichane during a council meeting held in Kisumu, the association emphasised that, despite efforts to engage the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB), regulatory failures persist, allowing unregulated outlets to operate freely.
“Patient safety is being compromised, and it’s time for action,” Mr Gichane said, highlighting the need for urgent intervention. The KPA is calling on the Ministry of Health to strengthen self-regulation mechanisms, increase regulatory capacity, and crack down on illegal outlets.
“Medicines are not commodities, and pharmacy practice is not just a business,” the statement read. “It’s a profession that requires expertise, integrity, and accountability, and it’s time we treated it as such.”
The association’s demands come after a recent incident in which a pharmacy attendant dispensed antibiotics without a prescription, highlighting the need for stricter enforcement. With only 40 drug inspectors nationwide, the PPB’s capacity to regulate is being stretched, and the KPA is urging the government to take decisive action.
“One licensed error is investigated and accounted for, but thousands of illegal outlets operate daily with zero accountability,” the statement noted, emphasising the need for a more robust regulatory framework. The association’s call to action underscores that patient safety is a right, not a privilege, and demands that the government take decisive action to protect Kenyans.
