Pharmacy and Poisons Board set to roll out a short message code for verfying medicine

Gov't reveals new trick you should use to detect fake medicine

Mark Mwithaga

February 6, 2019 6:56 PM

Introduction of way to validate medicine

Health CS Sicily Kariuki during a past media briefing

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board announced that it was set to develop a unique code that would be used to validate medicine.

Pharmacy and Poisons Board chief executive Fred Siyoi who spoke during workshop on combating counterfeit drugs, explained that a short message code was being tried and will be rolled out in within the year

Pharmacy and Poisons Board chief executive Fred Siyoi during a past interview Pulse Live Kenya

Siyoi further explained that the code that was being developed with the help of software developers, would also help to track the supply chain of all medicines in the country.

“At the patient’s level, they will be able to tell if it is genuine paracetamol, its side effects, the pharmaceutical it has been dispensed from and whether it is registered using the unique identifier number and a code.

“Currently, it is being developed and we have started its trailing. Once the trailing is done, we will launch it within the year,” remarked Siyoi.

Counterfeit drug problem

This comes after a directive that was issued by Health CS Sicily Kariuki in 2018, for the body to find a way to tackle the counterfeit drug problem that had gripped the nation.

Health CS Sicily Kariuki during her visit to Mathari Hospital (Twitter) Pulse Live Kenya

“There is no short cut in ensuring proper medicines reach the public,” stated Kariuki.

The CS had noted the need for integration from the level of manufacturing to distribution and retail to ensure availability of drugs that are affordable to Kenyans.

Mark Mwithaga