New Labs in Kenya To Check On Quality Of Pharmacy Products

Posted on :Saturday , 23rd September 2017

A specialized laboratory has been set up to keep a check on the quality and safety of pharmaceutical products already approved for sale with the country.

The lab is expected cost up to the tune of Sh300 million. This newest established has been set up to make sure that all pharmaceutical products sold in the country conform to the requirements mandated by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB).

Speaking about this new lab, Dr Obadiah Naikumi, the Director of Quality Control said that the lab will be well equipped to handle quality tests for herbal medicines, cosmetics and food supplements.

“The new lab has enhanced the board’s capacity to combat substandard medicines, monitor treatment failures, drug resistance, adverse drug reactions among other crucial regulatory matters,” he continued.

The lab will be based in Nairobi and will undertake tests on imported as well as locally manufactured products to see that the required standards are met.

Dr. Naikuni, also stated that the new lab will provide support to mini-labs in Rwanda and informed that drug-testing gadgets have been already deployed by the board in a many parts of the country to keep check on the quality and performance of medicines.

The lab follows a process where in, the mini-labs conduct initial checks on the products; if the products are found to be non compliant, they are directed to the new lab which then definitively determines whether they are compliant or otherwise.

Necessary action is then taken, based on the final results. The mini labs however do not have the capacity to test Herbal products, Medical devices, cosmetics, radiation emitting substances, tobacco products and food supplements but the new labs will be fully equipped to do the same

“For PPB to fully exercise its mandate, it had therefore to establish a laboratory which will be able to do post-market surveillance of all products under its regulatory mandate,” said Dr Naikuni. He also said that the lab will minimize costs and time for post-market surveillance of pharmaceutical products.

The lab has already begun a recruitment and training process to see that, the lab run responsibly and with competence. To ensure they are still safe and of required quality, PPB conducts Post-market surveillance of medicines through regular random sampling and testing. Those that fail the tests will be taken off the market.

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