Kenya’s ambition to deliver quality, affordable healthcare for all faces a serious threat following new regulatory changes that have disrupted access to more than 21,000 essential medicines. The Kenya Pharmaceutical Distributors Association (KPDA)has sounded the alarm, warning that unless swift action is taken, the country could plunge into a full-scale medicines shortage within two weeks.
According to KPDA, the crisis stems from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) reconfiguring its medicines importation portal as part of efforts to meet a World Health Organization (WHO)audit that would elevate Kenya’s regulatory authority to Maturity Level 3 status. However, the unintended consequence has been the blocking of thousands of life-saving drugs from importation.
“While the reforms were meant to strengthen oversight, the outcome has been catastrophic,” said Dr. Kamamia wa Murichu, the KPDA Chairman. “Over 21,000 medicines, including cancer therapies, vaccines, antibiotics, insulin, and HIV drugs, are currently blocked from importation. Kenya is 80 percent reliant on imported medicines, this disruption is a direct danger to public health and the economy.”
The association warns that national stocks of life-saving drugs could run critically low within days, crippling health facilities and pharmacies across the country. Among those at greatest risk are 1.5 million Kenyans living with diabetes, who depend on insulin and oral medication to survive, and 2.2 million people managing hypertension, whose daily drugs prevent strokes and heart attacks.
Cancer patients could be hardest hit, with chemotherapy drugs already scarce and expensive. Kenya records about 82,000 new cancer cases and 47,000 deaths annually, while 1.4 million peopleare on HIV treatment. Any interruption in their drug supply could undo decades of progress in public health.
KPDA estimates that Kenya spends around KES 120 billion annually on imported pharmaceuticals, and warns that the shortage could push medicine prices up by 30 to 50 percent.
“A diabetic patient who currently spends KES 4,000 to 6,000 per month could soon pay KES 9,000. For hypertension, the cost may double to KES 4,000,” Dr. Murichu warned. “This will push more families into poverty and worsen health inequalities.”
The ripple effect could also destabilize the broader healthcare ecosystem. More than 12,000 pharmacies and 6,000 health facilitiesrisk scaling down operations or shutting down altogether, potentially costing thousands of jobs and threatening the government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC)agenda.
KPDA has urged the PPB to immediately restore access to the blocked medicines and called on the Ministry of Health and Parliament to step in with urgent oversight.
“We appeal to President William Ruto to personally intervene and uphold Kenyans’ constitutional right to health,” said Dr. Murichu. “Failure to act will plunge the country into a preventable public health catastrophe.”
Dr. Murichu emphasized that while regulatory reforms are necessary, they must not come at the expense of lives and livelihoods. “Kenya cannot afford to trade patient safety and access for bureaucratic rigidity,” he said.
As the country awaits a response from health authorities, healthcare providers and patients alike brace for what could become one of the most severe medicines crises in Kenya’s history.
