Illegal pharmacies fleecing buyers

Kenya: Thousands of illegal pharmacies are endangering the lives of unsuspecting patients through unauthorised prescription drugs.

Independent investigations by an industry research firm estimates that there are close to 2,000 registered pharmacies while more than 4,000 operate without permits throughout the country.

The confidential report, seen by The Standard, estimates that 30 per cent of these chemists sell illegal or substandard drugs.

This comes amid complaints by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board that they are having a difficult time keeping a tab on illegal pharmacies because of corruption, stretched resources and failure to sustain any prosecution.

Last year, the board estimated there were 5,100 licensed pharmacies operating in Nairobi alone - representing 50 per cent of the entire country. According to the Board Director of Inspections, Surveillance and Enforcement Ahmed Mohammed, only 1,284 pharmacies had registered by last month and were operating with the board’s approval.

Dr Mohammed said the biggest problem the board faces is the judicial system that rarely allows them to prosecute rogue chemists.

“When you take these people to court, you need evidence. That evidence is not forthcoming.” Why? He posed. He said the fact that patients illegally buy prescription medication over the counter most times also makes prosecution difficult. “Patients only ask for a receipt and the pharmacists never specify the drug, making prosecution difficult,” sad Mohammed.

He added: “The other challenge we have is on premises and personnel. In every field, there are people who are interested in circumventing the system. For them, it’s more of a commercial drive than a practice.”

Health experts have also warned that thousands of illegal pharmacies are operating in rural towns and urban slums, selling expired or counterfeit drugs.

Worse still, the experts have said most of the pharmacies are operated by unqualified staff.

Mohammed revealed the board has inspectors who go undercover to the pharmacies and buy the prescription medication in order to sustain a case.

He regretted that many patients prefer to bypass having to pay doctors consultation fee, preferring to explain their symptoms to pharmacy staff who are not doctors and are properly trained. In addition, those who see a doctor cannot afford the unit costs of the dose prescribed and choose to buy less dosage.

BOGUS CHEMISTS

 

Mohammed however disagreed with the assertions that thousands of chemists could be operating illegally. While acknowledging the board’s resources and personnel are stretched thin, he argued that the country is much better placed in dealing with bogus chemists than other African countries.

“We have about 59 inspectors, though a small number for the whole country. I monitor the inspectors on a daily basis on my computer, which provides the number of inspections done per counties and locations,” he said.

Inspectors are encouraged to do their work at the location, which is monitored by GPS and provide real time updates.

According to The Standard investigations, one example of an abused prescription drug is Ritalin.

Ritalin (methylphenidate) is a central nervous system stimulant that is available strictly with a prescription. The drug affects chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control.

The drug is recommended for treatment of attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In other cases, doctors also prescribe the drug for sleep disorder, a medical condition commonly referred to as narcolepsy (an uncontrollable desire to sleep).

A teenager revealed to The Standard how she tried to obtain the drug over the counter without a prescription. She went to a chemist at Hurlingham shopping centre in Nairobi. A staff at the counter advised her the drug needed a prescription. However, she referred her to another chemist down the street where she could “obtain the drug without a prescription”.

Perplexed, the teenager went to the drug store and the lady behind the counter asked her why she needed the drug. She intimated she had no prescription. The lady however brought the drug which she offered at a premium. “One tablet was Sh150 but she offered to sell it to me at Sh200 because she told me she was risking,” she said.

The board said the highest number of infractions are recorded for pharmacies issuing medication without prescriptions and having their chemists manned by individuals not on their list. “Sometimes we also encounter resistance from the public, who are enlisted to fight our inspectors,” said Mohammed.

The board has been unable to produce one single successful prosecution to date.