Pharmacy board closes 100 chemists, arrests 43 people

The Pharmacy and Posions Board has closed 100 chemists in five counties of the Upper Eastern region.

Forty-three people found operating the premises have been arrested and arraigned. 

PPB senior inspector of drugs Julius Kaluai said most of those who pleaded guilty were fined between Sh60,000 and Sh100,000 and the minimum fine was Sh30,000.

Kaluai said they started the raids on Sunday in Meru, Embu, Tharaka Nithi Isiolo and Marsabit.

He said a total of 90 cartons of assorted medicine have been seized and taken to court as evidence.

Kaluai spoke to the press at a briefing at the county commissioner's office in Meru on Friday. 

He said they will continue the raids and work with police to make sure that the premises closed are not reopened.

“We are not using the scattered move where we used to move around checking premises; we are picking the premises we closed recently for flouting the rules both in violation of the GDP guidelines and the regulation under Cap 244,” Kaluai said.

Closure notices have been put on the premises for tracking and rearresting anyone who goes back to business. 

“If you remove the notice we put in your premises if its operating illegally it is a crime as it is a government property,” Kaluai said.

Kaluai said that in case the operators of illegal chemists run away, they pick all the drugs and take them to court for disposal order.

“If they are found fit we donate to government hospitals; if they are not fit we go a formal disposal,” he said.

The inspector said they're training officers from the Judiciary and the office of the public prosecutor to understand the gravity of the offences. 

(edited by o. owino)