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The Pharmacy and Poisons Board has partnered with various international agencies including Interpol in the fight against illicit trade in health products.

Announcing the deliberations of the meeting which occurred on Monday, June 10, 2024, the board’s CEO Fred Siyoi said it met the Operation African Star team to discuss collaborative strategies aimed at disrupting the illicit trade in health products, pharmaceutical preparations, medical devices, and equipment across Africa.

During the meeting, it was announced that the European Commission’s European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) will support the detection of shipments related to the European Union, utilizing its global network of postal operators.

Operation African Star, formed in 2023, serves as an informal steering group focused on improving global public health outcomes.

Pharmacy board partners

Its membership includes prominent organizations such as the European Commission (EC), Interpol, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The team targets illicit medicines distributed through postal services and in airport environments.

Key participants in Phase 1 include the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, Kenya Airports Authority, Kenya Revenue Authority and the Home Office- UK.

The other partners involved are Immigration, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the Postal Corporation of Kenya, the United States Agency for International Development, the Office of Inspector General, the United States Customs and Border Protection, and the Kenya Intelligence Service.

This comes hot on the heels of an intensified crackdown on unlicensed chemists and drug stores in the country by the Pharmacy and Poison Board.

Crackdown

From June 3 to June 7, 2024, authorities at the board confiscated 120 boxes of illicit medicine from various chemists in the North Rift and arrested 30 operators of the affected chemists.

During the operation, the drug regulatory authority shut down some 100 chemists and stated that the arrested individuals would face charges related to the illegal distribution, sale and possession of pharmaceuticals.

“These decisive actions follow a comprehensive investigation into unlawful practices within the pharmaceutical industry, including the illegal sale of prescription medications, fraudulent activities involving government drugs, and unlicensed pharmaceutical distribution channels,” Siyoi said.

This comes after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, equally called out unscrupulous chemists stating that the crackdown should be extended to ensure only licensed practitioners administer drugs to the public.

Gachagua also warned qualified practitioners against leasing their licenses to businesspeople with no background in the profession.

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