A new Bill before Parliament is promising renewed hope for Kenyans struggling with drug and substance addiction. The Harm Reduction Bill, 2025, sponsored by Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris, seeks to create a comprehensive legal framework for the delivery of harm reduction services in public health facilities.
The proposed law aims to reduce drug-related deaths, overdoses, and the spread of infectious diseases by compelling both national and county governments to establish rehabilitation and harm reduction programmes. It defines harm reduction as public health policies and strategies that mitigate the negative physical, social, and health consequences of drug use ranging from safer use and managed use to full abstinence.
Under the Bill, the Cabinet Secretary for Health will be required to develop a national strategy on harm reduction, maintain a register of persons with substance use disorders, and set standards for health facilities providing these services. A designated directorate within the Ministry of Health will oversee the coordination of harm reduction programmes, ensuring they are staffed with trained providers and adequately equipped.
The interventions outlined in the Bill include access to healthcare, treatment, counselling, psychosocial support, and peer recovery services for individuals with substance use disorder, as well as for their families and caregivers. Public sensitisation campaigns will also be carried out to raise awareness and promote access to treatment and rehabilitation services.
At the county level, the Health CECs will be tasked with implementing national policy and standards, mobilising resources, and allocating adequate funding to support the effective delivery of harm reduction services within county health facilities.
Notably, the Bill also introduces accountability measures. Health providers who deny individuals access to harm reduction services or withhold treatment without justification will face penalties, including fines of up to Sh200,000, a maximum of two years’ imprisonment, or both.
If passed, the Harm Reduction Bill, 2025 could mark a significant shift in Kenya’s approach to tackling drug and substance abuse, prioritising health, dignity, and recovery over stigma and punitive measures. For thousands of individuals and families affected by addiction, the legislation offers a lifeline and a path toward healing.
