The Pharmacy and poisons board has launched the Mobile Pharmacovigilance Electronic Reporting System (mPvERS).
The USAID Medicines, Technologies and Pharmaceutical Services Program developed the mPvERs system.
The system is a mobile-based solution that provides a reporting platform for adverse reactions and suspected poor quality health products and technologies by the public.
During the virtual launch on Wednesday, Dr Rashid Aman, CAS at the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in line with the mandate of the Pharmacy and poisons board to protect public health and promote patient safety.
"We have collected over sixteen thousand reports used to inform policy and various regulatory functions," F. Siyoi, CEO of Pharmacy and Poisons said.
The USSD code, #271# or the app “mPVERS" will be used by Kenyans to access assistance by MOH.
Further Aman said consumer reporting is of great relevance.
"Consumer reporting is a useful tool in empowering the consumers and improving their involvement in the management of their own health," Aman said.
The Mobile Pharmacovigilance Electronic Reporting System (mPvERS) is developed to supplement the existing national reporting system Pharmacovigilance Electronic Reporting System (PvERS II).
“This is another great milestone achieved by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board towards the monitoring of quality, safety and efficacy of health products and technologies in Kenya, ” Aman said.
This mobile solution is in form of a mobile application for both android and iOS and an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) solution.
During the virtual meeting, Country Project Director, MTaPS Program Dr Ndinda Kusu welcomed the move.
"I congratulate @ppbkenya for this milestone in protecting public health," Kusu said.
The solution supports the reporting of the adverse events following immunization, adverse drug reactions, suspected poor quality medical products and technologies, medication errors, transfusion reactions, medical devices incidents and public reporting via the USSD.
The Pharmacy and poisons board is also the Regional Centre of Regulatory Excellence in Pharmacovigilance and not only plays a key role in the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization Programme by the AU Development Agency-NEPAD but also in the EAC and IGAD medicines regulation harmonization initiatives.
