Kenya has stepped up its fight against counterfeit and substandard medicines, reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding public health and ensuring the integrity of the pharmaceutical market.
Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) chairman John Munyu said the country has robust regulatory systems designed to combat contraband drugs, despite ongoing challenges such as porous borders and regulatory loopholes.
“We have enhanced our enforcement systems, and I can assure you the war on counterfeits is one that we are winning. We’re at the very tail end,” Munyu said during the 7th Biennial Scientific Conference on Medical Products Regulation in Africa (SCoMRA VII) held in Mombasa.
His remarks come days after authorities intercepted a 40-foot container at the Mombasa Port containing 9.5 million illicit cigarettes disguised as sanitary towels, worth Sh200 million. The seizure prevented an estimated Sh76 million in revenue losses.
Munyu revealed that Kenya’s strong anti-counterfeit measures have earned it recognition from the African Medicines Agency (AMA), which has tapped three Kenyan experts to help align regulatory frameworks across the continent. The trio will play a key role in harmonising Africa’s diverse national systems to ensure the safety, quality, and efficacy of medical products.
Headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda, the AMA coordinates and strengthens medicine regulation among 55 African Union member states. Its goal is to curb the circulation of fake and substandard medical products that undermine public health and local pharmaceutical industries.
Munyu emphasised that collaboration and harmonisation of medical product registration across African nations are vital for public safety. “It’s a battle we must win to ensure Kenyans’ health is safe. We have no option,” he said.
SCoMRA VII, hosted by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), aims to deepen cooperation in medical product regulation, stimulate local manufacturing, and advance Africa’s health independence through harmonised policies and shared expertise.
