Crisis looms in health sector over Kenya Drugs Authority Bill

The Kenya Pharmaceutical Association (KPA) has warned of a looming crisis in the sector owing to a rift with Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya (PSK) following the tabling of the Kenya Drugs Authority Bill (KDA), 2022 in Parliament last week.

KPA majorly represents pharmaceutical technologists, while PSK represents pharmacists.

KPA, through its Secretary General Eric Gichane, faulted PSK over what it termed as “professional bullying” despite the former being lawfully recognized with adequate training and licensed to practice pharmacy.

Mr. Gichane said KPA has long been at the forefront of dispensing drugs in chemists, and that its ratio in the country against PSK members currently stands at 3:1.

“There are 4,687 pharmacists and 12,729 pharmaceutical technologists registered and enrolled respectively by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Kenya,” he stated.

Citing the KDA Bill, 2022 that was recently tabled in Parliament, Mr. Gichane urged the MPs to support the Bill without amendment so that they secure the place of pharmaceutical technologists, thereby ensuring health is disseminated evenly in the country.

He argued that pharmaceutical technologists have long been the backbone of the health system, with over 6,800 pharmacies spread across the country up to the rural areas, but only 300 owned by pharmacists.

“The Kenya Health Workforce (KHWF) 2017 Report indicates that the ratio of active pharmaceutical technologists to that of the Kenyan population is 1.2 per 10,000 people, while that of active pharmacists to the Kenyan population is 0.5 per 10,000. This ratio is alarmingly inadequate to meet the pharmaceutical care needs of the 56 million Kenyans,” stated Mr. Gichane.

“In the year 2023, only a paltry 1,584 pharmacists have been licensed by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board to practice pharmacy against 6,987 pharmaceutical technologists.”

He added “This strengthens the fact that indeed it is the pharmaceutical technologists who enhance access to medicines to Kenyans at all levels and with the furthest reach.”

In the Bill tabled on Wednesday last week, the pharmacists claimed that the lack of professionalism in the pharma industry is due to the entry of pharmaceutical technologists in the field; a claim that the latter now wants backed with evidence.

The technologists warn that if the Bill is amended in favour of pharmacists, it will see them barred from operating wholesale and retail and the number of drugs they handle significantly may also be reduced.

If this happens, Mr. Gichane warns, “the public would be required to travel for longer distances in search of essential pharmaceutical services, searching for a pharmacist to dispense to you your next supply of medicine.”

The association also notes that the move counters the government’s efforts in actualizing the Universal Health Coverage.

KPA has consequently dismissed a ‘superior complex’ tiff with PSK, who are said to have told the Parliamentary committee that pharmaceutical technologists are seeking equality with them.

The association maintains that the roles of both cadres are well stipulated in the law, underscoring that pharmacists have long been trained within 4 years while technologists have always undertaken a Diploma in Pharmacy for 3 years and 7 months with supervised internship.

“Pharmaceutical technologists are not claiming equality with pharmacists at all. We are only asking that the law recognizes and anchors our practice accordingly without unfair administrative action,” Mr. Gichane added.

“There also exist other guidelines that inform pharmacy practice in Kenya. Terming pharmaceutical technologists as wannabes is an insult to all Diploma healthcare providers.”