By Lynnet Juma, Kakamega
The government’s decision to halt the parallel importation of medicines and other health technologies has sparked debate over what it will mean for the safety, availability and affordability of essential drugs in Kenya.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the move is intended to strengthen oversight of the pharmaceutical supply chain and protect patients from substandard and falsified medical products.
Under the new policy, medicines entering the country will only be imported through approved channels that meet quality, safety and efficacy standards.
“The Government has halted parallel importation of medicines and other health technologies to strengthen regulatory oversight, safeguard patient safety and ensure that all medical products entering the country meet approved quality, safety and efficacy standards,” Duale said.
Parallel importation allows medicines to be imported through alternative supply channels outside the manufacturer’s authorised distribution network.
While the practice has often increased competition and expanded access to medicines, the government argues that it has also made it more difficult to verify the origin and quality of products entering the Kenyan market.
According to Duale, the decision forms part of broader efforts to build a more coordinated, accountable and transparent healthcare system while protecting Kenyans from unsafe medicines.
“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.
The Health CS also disclosed that Kenya has not approved any applications for parallel importation since October 1, 2025, signalling that the government had already begun phasing out the practice before formally announcing the ban.
“Since October 1, 2025, not a single parallel import has been approved for entry into the country, and I do not believe any will be approved again. We made a deliberate decision to clean up the market and end parallel imports,” Duale said.
The ban comes amid an intensified government campaign against counterfeit and substandard medicines. According to the Ministry of Health, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board has coordinated the recall of dozens of substandard medical products and issued multiple alerts on falsified medicines as surveillance has been strengthened.
Duale argued that the growing number of recalls should be viewed as evidence of a more vigilant regulator rather than a worsening problem.
“Some may interpret these numbers as evidence of a worsening problem. I take a different view. These demonstrate a regulator that is more vigilant, more transparent, and more effective in identifying risk and taking decisive action while informing the public,” he said.
The government is also piloting a digital Track and Trace System for medicines, which will allow regulators to monitor pharmaceutical products from manufacturers through distributors and pharmacies to patients. Officials say the system is expected to become fully operational after the pilot phase, improving accountability throughout the supply chain.
“When that pilot is completed in July and it goes live on 1st August, every medicine dispersed in our country can be traced from the pharmacist to the distributor, wholesaler, all the way to the manufacturer,” Duale said.
