36 arrested, 82 chemists shut in latest crackdown on unlicensed outlets

At least 82 pharmacies have been closed and 36 people arrested in an ongoing joint operation on illegal outlets in the country.

The joint operation between officials from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, the National Police Service and the national government administrative agencies commenced on April 4.

The focus is on weeding out pharmacies flouting various regulations in Nairobi, Central and Upper Eastern regions.

The crackdown has also led to the seizure of 88 boxes of assorted Health Products and Technologies.

According to the Head of Enforcement and Surveillance at PPB Julius Kaluai, out of the 36 people arrested, seven were from Nairobi, 19 were from Central and 10 were from the Upper Eastern Region.

“The entities were found to be unlicensed or dispensing medications without necessary licenses and approvals from the board,” Kaluai said.

Even as the crackdown continues, PPB has advised the public to exercise caution and only purchase drugs from licensed and reputable outlets.

Kaluai has further cautioned the public to be wary of chemists who are run without names.

He said illegal pharmaceutical outlets pose a public health danger to the public, considering that they don't meet the standards set by PPB.

“This is a key pointer to illegality as well as unregistered medicines, as they may not meet regulatory standards and could have adverse effects on your health,” Kaluai said.

“To ensure their safety and well-being, the public is advised to verify the legitimacy of pharmaceutical establishments and report any suspicious activities to the Board.” 

The board has also called on all registered public and private healthcare facilities handling pharmaceuticals to apply online for the disposal of any pharmaceutical waste that they may have or get in touch with PPB regional officers.

All registered practitioners have also been advised to embrace and continually update themselves with regulatory provisions governing the prescription and dispensing of controlled medicine.

They are also required to avail records for review anytime they are requested by an authorised officer, as well as comply with the labelling requirement as documented under the Pharmacy and Poison Act CAP 244.

Kaluai said the operation is aimed at upholding the rule of law and ensuring the integrity of the country’s pharmaceutical supply chain is effective and in turn, also combat illicit activities.

Those arrested will be charged in court with offences under the PPB Act that prohibits operating a pharmaceutical business without a license from the board.