Duale declares crackdown on counterfeit medicines

Cynthia Lodite 20th September, 2025 07:31 AM

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced a crackdown on counterfeit drugs in a move to improve Kenya’s healthcare system through the Digital Health System.

Speaking at the State House in Nairobi on Friday, September 19, the Health CS declared the capability of the newly implemented digital system within the Ministry of Health to curb fraudulent activities.

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On his part, Duale, while acknowledging at least three main fraudulent activities within the health sector, has also announced that by using the Digital Health Systems, all fake doctors as well as fake health facilities will be flagged.

“The digital health system we are building has even greater capability. We will make sure fraud is impossible in our healthcare system. We will eliminate fake drugs, fake doctors, and fake facilities,” Duale said.

He further noted the health sector’s broad-based plan to ensure patients across the country receive quality health care through the new application, Taifa Care.

“And we will enhance the quality of care across the board. In our new digital healthcare, known as TaifaCare, the patient is the boss. The patient’s dignity is our priority. The patient’s quality of care is the most important,” he added.

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Crackdown on fake doctors

Duale’s remarks come after the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) expressed concerns early in the year about the emergence of individuals claiming to be doctors and offering treatment through social media platforms in the country.

At the time, in a statement on Thursday, February 6, 2025, KMPDC put on notice such doctors without the necessary qualifications to be physicians.

“The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council is concerned about the increase in the number of online platforms where individuals claiming to be medical professionals provide false medical advice and treatment to unsuspecting users,” the KMPDC statement read in part.

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“These ‘doctors’ pose a significant risk to public health, as their diagnoses and treatment plans are often based on unverified or outdated information, leading to misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, or even exacerbating underlying health conditions.”

KMPDC cautioned unqualified individuals from giving medical advice through social media platforms, noting that such characters could face five years in prison or pay a fine not exceeding Ksh5 million.

“Section 22 (3) of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act CAP 253, Laws of Kenya, states that any person who uses the title ‘doctor’ unless he is registered or licensed under this Act as a medical practitioner or dentist or has acquired doctoral qualifications or has obtained such qualifications that entitle him to use that title commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding five million shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both,” KMPDC CEO Dr David Kariuki warned.