The government is intensifying its war against fake drugs with a new medical code to be rolled out next week, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale indicated.
Speaking while touring Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu, Duale said the new regulations will closely regulate the sale and distribution of drugs in the nation. The move, he added, is to cleanse the drug business and protect Kenyans from fake and possibly harmful drugs.
“We are introducing medicine codes into our system. If you’re not a pharmacist, you will not dispense drugs,” said Duale, adding that only medications approved by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board will be allowed into the market.
The CS was in Kisumu to commission new CT scan and mammogram machines at JOOTRH under the government’s National Equipment Service Program, part of ongoing efforts to boost diagnostic services in public hospitals.
Counterfeit and substandard drugs remain a serious concern in Kenya, with unlicensed drug sellers still operating in many parts of the country. The new code, which hasn’t been made public yet, is expected to tighten regulation and bring order to a sector that has often lacked adequate oversight.
While acknowledging that the move may ruffle feathers, Duale remained firm, likening the anticipated backlash to the uproar that once greeted the late John Michuki’s now-celebrated matatu reforms.
“I know there will be another noise next week, which I am equally ready for,” he told those gathered. “So let’s buckle up.”
The announcement comes months after the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) began rolling out a new drug detection technology in partnership with Missions for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS).
The Pillscan system, powered by Near-Infrared Technology (NIR) from Global Health Labs USA and supported by the Global Fund, is designed to spot fake medicines before they reach pharmacy shelves.
The PPB says part of the rollout involves retraining staff, qualifying equipment, and building a robust digital reference library to support the system.
With both regulatory and technological reforms underway, the Ministry of Health appears to be sending a clear message: the era of unchecked drug distribution in Kenya is coming to an end.
