Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has firmly stated that the ministry of health will not allow substandard counterfeit drugs into the country.
Speaking in Nairobi on Wednesday during the Performance Contract signing ceremony for the Financial Year 2024/2025, Duale called upon regulators to stop allowing poor-quality medical products into the country.
“We will not allow substandard, counterfeit drugs into our country because of corruption. There are many doctors here — why is the maternal mortality rate in Kenya still very high, despite years of heavy investment?” he posed.
He claimed that the counterfeit drugs are the reason behind high mortality rate and called upon health providers to be cautious and prevent the consequences.
“It is because the drugs we use to stop them (mothers) from bleeding is the wrong drug,” he said. “If you are a regulator and you’re sitting here, you have a choice to make between personal gain and the national interest.”
In 2024, the drug regulatory authority made a total of 32 recalls. And in 2023, 18 health product recalls were reported. Many are left wondering how counterfeit drugs end up in Kenyan Market and who are the culprits behind it.
