Kenya strikes a deal to help in eliminating fake medicines
By Kenneth Mwenda, November 10, 2025Kenya will work with the Africa Medicines Agency (AMA) to speed up the registration and approval of pharmaceutical products. The move aims to improve access to safe, effective, and quality medicines for the public.
The announcement was made by the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB), Ahmed Mohamed, during the Pre-Conference Industry Day of the 7th Biennial Scientific Conference on the Regulation of Medical Products in Africa (SCoMRA VII). The event took place in Mombasa on November 11, 2025.
Mohamed said the partnership will boost Kenya’s regulatory capacity and shorten the time needed to approve essential medicines. He added that the collaboration will help patients access life-saving drugs faster and more efficiently.
“We intend to cooperate with the Africa Medicines Agency to fast-track registration of pharmaceutical products so that we can have them on the market sooner for the benefit of the public,” Mohamed said.
He noted that the Board has already started harmonising pharmaceutical documentation to match continental standards. This step will improve efficiency, transparency, and regional cooperation in regulating health products.
Focus on regional production
Africa Medicines Agency Director General, Delese Mimi Darko, also spoke during the forum. She reaffirmed AMA’s commitment to supporting local pharmaceutical manufacturing across Africa. According to Darko, boosting regional production will make medical products safer, cheaper, and more accessible, while reducing the continent’s dependence on imports.
The SCoMRA VII Pre-Conference Industry Day brought together regulators, policymakers, manufacturers, researchers, and development partners from Africa and other regions. They discussed new ways to strengthen and align medical product regulations across the continent.
The week-long conference in Mombasa is being held under the theme “Strengthening Regulatory Systems for Access to Quality, Safe, and Efficacious Medical Products in Africa.” The discussions focus on building Africa’s ability to oversee its own medical products and reduce reliance on external systems.
Through such partnerships and harmonised frameworks, Kenya and other African nations aim to make it easier for patients to access reliable medicines.