Poisons board destroys fake medicine worth Sh40 million

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) yesterday destroyed 67,000 kilogrammes of counterfeit drugs worth Sh40 million. The pharmaceutical products which include anti- hypertensive lifestyle drugs, anti-diabetic, cough syrups, antibiotics and analgesics (painkillers) that were disposed in Green City Incinerators in Embakasi could have found their way to innocent patients.

Director of Medical Services Nicholas Muraguri said the products were seized by PPB drug inspectors from distributor outlets, private chemists, public hospitals and warehouses for non-compliance and poor storage conditions.

"Medicines that are not registered or handled by qualified personnel have doubtful quality and efficacy due to a compromised supply chain integrity. The PPB through its inspectorate, surveillance and enforcement directorate usually conduct inspections of all distribution outlets to ensure medicines being distributed are of quality," said Mr Muraguri.

He said the inspectors instituted various regulatory measures including seizures, recommendation for prosecution and disposals.