Probe death threats, pharmacists tell Boinett

PSK President Mwaniki at his office. He says he has been receiving death threats over reforms in the drugs industry.

Nairobi, Kenya: Pharmacists have raised the red flag over an attempt by crooked importers with powerful connections to flood the country with sub-standard medicine.

Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya (PSK) called for stakeholders’ support, saying its efforts to pursue tougher regulation of the industry was being resisted by cartels.

PSK President Paul Mwaniki said he has been receiving death threats intended to sabotage ongoing efforts to restore order in the industry.

The pharmaceutical industry, with a Sh300 billion annual turnover, has over the years been dogged by reports of substandard medicine and infiltration by quarks.

"They are openly after my life. A senior officer at the Pharmacy and Poisons Board told me early this month point blank that I have become too much and if I do not take care of myself, they would take care of me,” Dr Mwaniki told a press conference in Nairobi, yesterday.

“They are targeting me because since my election, I have been pursuing total reforms in the industry. They want to keep on making money at the expense of the health and safety of Kenyans,” he added.

Yesterday, the PSK boss appealed to Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett, Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia and the Office of the President to protect him and at the same time, ensure nobody is allowed to sabotage reforms.

He said the threats to his life should not be taken lightly and should be investigated without fear of favour.

A furious Dr Mwaniki said: “Those involved in the illegal imports and who have always issued threats to anyone who questions their activities have openly passed messages of displeasure with me. They have even gone further to warn me through proxies,” he said.

Dr Mwaniki says the industry has been bereft of stringent regulation, leading to infiltration by quarks, questionable accreditation of practitioners and importation of drugs outside the existing registration and import guidelines.

“In the last five months, we have raised key issues. Besides illegal imports, there has been inadequate inspection leading to continuous presence of numerous illegal retail outlets run by quacks. There are also officers with poor work ethics at the Pharmacy and Poisons Board,” Mwaniki said, adding he will not be cowed down.

He said due to corruption, unqualified people were being accredited to practice pharmacy, citing last year when there was an alleged attempt to register 13 unqualified students of a local university.