Mombasa: Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale has reaffirmed the government's commitment to transforming Kenya into a regional pharmaceutical hub. Speaking during the 45th Annual Scientific Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya (PSK), Duale called for stronger collaboration with PSK in driving investment, policy formulation, and quality assurance.
According to Kenya News Agency, the three-day conference held under the theme 'Beyond the Practice: Pharmacists Innovating for Accessible, Quality, and Impactful Healthcare' provides a platform for stakeholders to explore innovative solutions in the health sector. The CS emphasized that the local manufacturing of pharmaceutical products will enhance self-reliance. 'Local manufacturing is not negotiable. It is a national security priority, an economic stimulus and a public health necessity,' he said.
To ensure regulatory excellence, the Ministry of Health is supporting the Pharmacy and Poisons Board to attain WHO Maturity Level 3 and fast-tracking the passage of the Health Products and Technologies Authority Bill. 'The aim is to create a modern, efficient, and independent regulatory environment that can keeps up with evolving science and practice,' said the CS.
Duale further announced plans to digitize the entire pharmaceutical ecosystem through the Digital Health Superhighway. This initiative will enable e-prescriptions, electronic dispensing, and improved fraud detection and error prevention. Digitization will also strengthen tracking and tracing systems to combat counterfeit and substandard medicines, support real-time drug utilization reviews for effective planning and policymaking, and enhance inventory and claims management for greater accountability and timely reimbursements.
He explained that digitalizing the health products supply chain will facilitate visibility of the movement of pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceutical products across the healthcare system, ensuring that hospitals and community pharmacies are stocked with the right medicines and supplies they need as a critical part of saving lives. 'Our track-and-trace technology for medicines will monitor every drug's journey from manufacturer to a uniquely identified patient at the facility level or pharmacy level, ensuring fake drugs never reach Kenyans,' he added.
Pharmacists were encouraged to champion the transition, as they are the nexus between systems, patients, and outcomes. 'Never again shall we witness medicines expiring in KEMSA or any of our public health facilities,' assured the CS. The government, he noted, is upgrading the national pharmacovigilance systems to shift from passive to active surveillance to strengthen pharmacovigilance and patient safety.
The CS added that every adverse drug reaction matters, and every case report contributes to safety. Pharmacists must lead in reporting, analyzing, and educating the public and prescribers alike, as proposed in the draft Quality Healthcare and Patient Safety Bill that is currently undergoing public participation. To address workforce gaps, the Ministry has deployed 500 intern pharmacists, set to begin their service on August 1.
However, Duale warned against the unchecked expansion of training institutions, noting that some admit up to four times their capacity, putting healthcare quality at risk. Mombasa County Government leadership was lauded for being among the first to fully digitize its health system, linking patient records, inventory, and claims processing under one digital platform. 'This is the model of innovation and accountability we will scale nationwide,' stated Duale.
At the same time, Governor Abdulswamad Nassir confirmed that Taifa Care is working effectively, revealing that the county-managed health facilities have so far received Sh500 million from the Social Health Authority (SHA). On his part, the President of PSK, Dr. Louis Machogu, welcomed the government interventions, saying they will revolutionize the pharmaceutical sector. He urged the CS to expedite the enactment of the Good Pharmacy Guidelines and completion of the cost pharmacy benefit packages under SHA.