Association of pharmaceuticals gets new boss, calls for adoption of code of practice
Health & Science
By
Maryann Muganda
| Jan 28, 2024
The newly elected Kenya Association of Pharmaceuticals Industry -KAPI has called for collaboration and ethics that will benefit patients.
Dr James Oigo Mokoro of Reckitt Benckiser Services was elected the chairperson of KAPI's executive committee during its 19th Annual General Meeting on January 25, 2024.
KAPI represents pharmaceutical companies involved in researching, developing, manufacturing and importing healthcare products and technologies in Kenya.
Mokoro will serve as chairperson for the next three years with Dr Evah Amwayi from Haleon as Vice Chairperson and Dr Stella Kiptanui of ION Kenya (My Dawa) as Executive Secretary.
The rest of the board members will include Dr Michael Onyango (Medsource), Dr John Mwangi (Bayer) Anne Dembah (Pfizer) Dr Christopher Odero (Roche) and Dr David Odhiambo (Novartis).
In a press release to news rooms, KAPI said Mokoro is its long-standing member having served the association in several capacities since 2015.
Speaking during the AGM, Dr Mokoro emphasized on the need for collaboration, ethical business practice in the pharma industry to the benefit of Kenyans and delivering high-quality medicine and health technologies.
"Our priority as the pharmaceutical industry is to contribute towards improving the health of people through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products and health technologies. We must strive to create innovation and deliver innovative medical solutions that meet the needs of patients," said Mokoro.
The new chairperson emphasized on steering the industry to adopt the Code of Practice to foster ethical interactions between the pharmaceutical companies and Healthcare Professionals.
According to him, KAPI has been instrumental in lobbying for various forward-looking legislation and will also participate in the stakeholder discussions on the implementation of Universal Healthcare by the Ministry of Health; regional meetings on the development of the pharmaceutical value chain.
Mokoro further said the industry will continue to stand on the forefront of healthcare change and support the country in implementing Universal Healthcare while continually striving to fulfill the expectations of the stakeholders and society with a focus on the patient.
His sentiments were echoed by the outgoing chairperson Dr Winnie Ng'ang'a who highlighted on KAPI success in influencing the revision of the advertisement and promotion guidelines in Kenya resulting in guidelines that are aligned with the self-regulating KAPI Code of practice which was a stellar achievement for KAPI.
Ng'ang'a was praised as a thought leader in pharmaceutical policies, regulations, new product registration, Pharmacovigilance and borderline medicine guidelines, served KAPI as chairperson for three years.
She is said to have given an articulate chairperson's report highlighting the successes KAPI has had in strategically positioning itself as a thought leader within the pharmaceutical industry by continuing to shape the future of the industry and consequently the future of the Health Care industry.
According to Dr. Mokoro, KAPI will keep striving to shape policies and drive change to improve patients' access to high-quality, ethical care.