Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has ordered a ban on the delivery of antibiotics through boda boda riders and online platforms, warning that the practice will soon become illegal as the government intensifies its crackdown on counterfeit and substandard medicines.
Speaking during the launch of the Interministerial Committee on Falsified Medical Products on Thursday, July 1, Duale said Kenyans will no longer be allowed to order antibiotics from the comfort of their homes and have them delivered by boda boda riders.
“The story where, from the comfort of your house, you will order an antibiotic, pay, and then the boda boda delivers, that will be history in Kenya,” Duale said.
Duale Warns Drug Dealers to Comply or Exit the Market
The CS explained that antibiotics are prescription medicines that should be dispensed only by qualified healthcare professionals through licensed pharmacies, following proper patient assessment.
Duale said the ongoing enforcement actions by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board have the full backing of the government and warned businesses that fail to comply with the law to exit the market.
Also Read: Kenya Halts Parallel Importation of Medicines
“Let me make it clear so that nobody should blame the board, nobody should blame the CEO and the management of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board. The action they are taking has the highest political backing for the interests of Kenyan patients,” he said.
“So you either play by the law as provided by the regulator or then you look for another country to go and do business.”
The Health CS said the Pharmacy and Poisons Board has a constitutional and moral duty to protect Kenyans from falsified, substandard and counterfeit medicines, noting that fake medicines pose far greater risks than adulterated fuel or counterfeit seeds because they directly threaten human lives.
He further warned that criminal networks involved in the manufacture, importation, distribution and sale of fake medical products operate across institutional and national boundaries, making coordinated government action necessary.
According to Duale, the fight against counterfeit medicines will involve all government agencies through an intelligence-driven and whole-of-government approach.
Government Stops Parallel Importation of Medicines
In a separate announcement, Duale revealed that the government has stopped the parallel importation of medicines and other health technologies, ending a system that allowed certain medicines to be imported without the patent holder’s consent.
Also Read: Duale Halts Construction of Nanyuki Ebola Facility
He said the decision is aimed at ensuring that all medicines entering Kenya meet approved standards of quality, safety and efficacy while allowing regulators to trace products throughout the supply chain.
“We decided to clean up the market by stopping all parallel imports, which had become rampant and caused significant problems in our country. As we speak, we have stopped the parallel importation of medicines and other health technologies. If you were in that business, it is time to look for another one,” he said.
Duale said Kenya has not approved any parallel importation applications since October 1, 2025, as part of a government effort to streamline regulation of the pharmaceutical market and eliminate the parallel importation of medical products.
The announcements form part of the government’s broader campaign to eliminate fake medicines from the Kenyan market and strengthen oversight of the country’s pharmaceutical supply chain.
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