•The aim is to check if the measures for prevention and control of Covid-19 are implemented in hospital pharmacy outlets
Image: MAGDALINE SAYA
The Pharmacy and Poisons Board is conducting inspection of pharmacy outlets in all public hospitals to ascertain the level of compliance.
The major focus is on the national referral health facilities and the county referral hospitals.
So far, the audit has been conducted in the five national referral hospitals in Kenya.
They include the Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral hospital, National Spinal Injury Hospital, Mathari Teaching and Referral Hospital and KNH Othaya Annex.
Similarly, 28 county referral and level 5 hospitals have been audited in North Rift, South Rift, Central and Upper Eastern Region.
“The key aim is to check if the measures for prevention and control of Covid-19 are implemented in hospital pharmacy outlets,” Julius Kaluai said.
He added: “We also want to conduct product verification of market authorization of health products and technologies.”
Kaluai is the head Nairobi region and acting head of Good Distribution Practice.
Top on the agenda is also to conduct market surveillance and audit the pharmaceutical regulatory compliance levels in line with the 2019 Good Distribution Practices guidelines.
Image: MAGDALINE SAYA
Distribution is an important activity in the integrated supply chain management of medical products and health technologies.
All parties involved in the distribution have a responsibility to ensure that the quality of the products and the integrity of the distribution chain are maintained throughout the distribution process form the site of manufacture to the entity responsible for dispensing the products to the end user.
Handling and storage should be in accordance with the established procedures designed to prevent contamination or deterioration, damage of packs or confusion of products.
Particular care should be given in maintaining the integrity of seals on packs of sterile products and thermo-liable products.
Attention should be paid to any special instructions from the manufacturer relating to handling or storage of the products.
The GDP-2019 guidelines also require receiving bays to protect products from weather.
Stock received should be examined for correctness against order, for expiry date and for absence of damage.
The board has stepped up its efforts to ensure falsified and substandard drugs do not reach patients.
A keen focus is in essential medicines, antibiotics, vaccines, drugs used in treatment of Non Communicable Diseases and those use in child and maternal care.
“The objective is to assess quality and safety of essential medicines and vaccines as a central component of Universal Healthcare Coverage.”
Falsified and substandard medicines lead to poisoning, untreated and resistant diseases, treatment failure and early death.
They may contain wrong ingredient size, or no active ingredients at all to cure illnesses, thus posing dangers of even death to unsuspecting persons.