Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) intensified crackdown on pharmacies in Nairobi, central Kenya and Upper Eastern region and discovered a range of compliance issues.
According to PPB Head of Enforcement and Surveillance Julius Kaluai, the operation which commenced on April 14, has culminated into seizure of 88 boxes of assorted Health Products and Technologies and apprehending of 36 persons found to bear the greatest responsibility of the vices.
He says that the illegal entities were found to be unlicensed, dispensing medications without necessary licenses and approvals from the Board.
“at least 82 premises have been shut down for flouting various regulations. Of the prosecutions made, seven were in Nairobi,19 in Central Kenya and 10 from Upper Eastern Region,” Kaluai said adding that “This ongoing operation reflects the unwavering commitment by the Board to protect the public from the dangers posed by illegal pharmaceutical activities.”
The crackdown was conducted by PPB regulatory inspectors, officers drawn from the National Police Service, the National Government Administrative agencies.
To ensure compliance and adherence, the Board has released a list of registered pharmaceutical outlet which can be accessed through
https://practice.pharmacyboardkenya.org/Licensestatus?register=facilities
“PPB strongly advises members of the public to exercise caution and only purchase pharmaceuticals from licensed and reputable sources.”
To ensure their safety and the well-being, the public is advised to verify the legitimacy of pharmaceutical establishments and report any suspicious activities to the Board.
The registered public and private healthcare facilities handling pharmaceuticals are notified to apply online through their website: www.pharmacyboardkenya.org for 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.
