Why KDA Bill crucial to elevate healthcare delivery
By Joel Sang, August 10, 2023Pharmaceutical services are instrumental in ensuring citizens have access to effective, efficient, safe quality, and affordable medications, thus upholding their well-being.
Recently, the proposed Kenya Drug Authority (KDA) Bill, 2022 has emerged as a critical means to not only meet but exceed the potential of the pharmaceutical industry.
Bill’s implications for healthcare system and economy are profound and cannot be understated. Thorough deliberation and evaluation of the KDA Bill’s implications and proposed amendments are imperative for lawmakers, policymakers, and stakeholders before they are enacted.
KDA Bill serves as a pivotal engine that will drive the local manufacturing of essential health products, just like similar changes in countries like Bangladesh reversed their 80 per cent reliance on importation four decades ago to 20 per cent in 2023.
KDA Bill mandates extensive training of pharmacists to oversee the entire health product process, from design to distribution, ensuring rigorous quality control. This instills confidence in consumers locally and regionally, enhancing global competitiveness. Any amendments compromising education and competence undermines trust in the system’s ability to deliver on safety and standards.
Achieving WHO Maturity Level (ML3) hinges on effective human resource management. Any amendment compromising healthcare sector professionalism jeopardises ML3 pursuit.
Crucially, WHO benchmarks Kenya against global healthcare human resource standards. ML3 status attracts vital healthcare investments, including projects like BioVax and Moderna Vaccine plants – including fulfillment of the governments agenda on promoting local pharmaceutical manufacturing. Progress in nurturing skilled professionals, especially in the pharmaceutical sector, attracts organisations eyeing Kenya as an African market gateway.
Promoting local capacity, facilitating intellectual and knowledge transfer, and creating healthcare job opportunities, the KDA Bill will drive growth. Abundant skilled pharmacists enhance investor confidence.
Amendments should stress professional oversight, fortifying Kenya’s position as an investment haven.
Instilling trust in local product quality, based on the educational caliber of those overseeing the system, is vital.
Strengthening the KDA Bill can reinforce Kenya’s reputation as a human resources hub, encouraging global partnerships and creating opportunities for Kenyan pharmacists who meet international standards.
The Covid-19 pandemic has unequivocally demonstrated the global interconnectedness of health matters. The ease of travel has accelerated the propagation of health issues, underscoring the importance of adhering to best practices to mitigate uncertainties.
The KDA Bill’s aim to globalise standards of pharmacy sector attests to this principle. By organising the pharmacy sector to meet global standards, the KDA Bill contributes to Kenya’s competitiveness on the world stage.
Kenya’s reputation as a medical tourism destination has been cultivated over many years, attracting patients from across Africa. Efforts are underway to transform Kenya into a global medical tourism hotspot, a place where medical procedures are combined with the healing power of a safari.
Bill proposals on enhanced standards will attract influx of foreign exchange earnings, positively impacting not only the healthcare sector but also the broader economy and all sectors dependent on medical tourism revenue.
The KDA Bill is transformative, bolstering healthcare, economy, and global standing. It’s a platform for inventors, innovators, and self-sufficiency in health products. Pharmacists must seize the opportunity to elevate their standards, ensuring that the health product discovery-to-product process aligns with international benchmarks.
— The writer is a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya