The Ministry of Health has raised alarm over the increasing circulation of counterfeit medicines and fake medical products in Kenya.
The Ministry warned that dangerous drugs, including fake Viagra and HIV test kits, are finding their way into the market and putting thousands of lives at risk.
According to the Cabinet Secretary for Health Aden Dual, the growing problem has exposed major gaps in the country’s pharmaceutical supply chain, with authorities now moving to tighten surveillance and introduce a nationwide digital medicine tracking system aimed at tracing every drug distributed across the country.
Duale also revealed that the Digital Health Agency and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, a pilot programme for a new “track and trace” system was conducted throughout June and is expected to officially go live on August 1.
The system is designed to digitally monitor medicines from manufacturers and importers to wholesalers, distributors, pharmacies, and ultimately patients, making it easier for authorities to identify counterfeit products and track responsibility whenever unsafe drugs are detected.
CS Duale further explained that every medicine dispensed in Kenya will eventually be integrated into a digital monitoring network capable of tracing products throughout the supply chain.
According to the CS, the initiative comes amid rising concerns about fake drugs infiltrating pharmacies and informal markets, especially products linked to sexual enhancement, and diagnostic kits.
He also raised concerns over fake HIV testing kits, warning that inaccurate or substandard kits could produce false results, potentially leading to delayed treatment, incorrect diagnoses and further spread of infections.
