In a statement issued Monday morning, Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni emphasized that Sildenafil remains a strictly prescription‑only medicine and should never be sold over the counter. She warned that misuse of the drug poses serious health risks, particularly when taken without medical supervision or alongside other medications.
“The drug increases the risk of life‑threatening events such as heart attack and stroke. Patients should consult a doctor or pharmacist before use,” Muthoni said.
Sildenafil is primarily prescribed for two conditions: erectile dysfunction (ED) in men and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
While effective when used under medical guidance, the drug can be dangerous if misused. The PS noted that combining Sildenafil with nitrates or certain heart and blood pressure medicines can trigger severe complications, including sudden drops in blood pressure, cardiac arrest, or stroke.
To curb abuse, the Ministry announced the rollout of a monitoring system requiring pharmacies to document and report all sales of prescription medicines.
To curb abuse, the Ministry announced the rollout of a monitoring system requiring pharmacies to document and report all sales of prescription medicines.
This system is designed to improve traceability and prevent controlled drugs like Sildenafil from leaking into informal or illegal markets.
Pharmacies will now be obligated to maintain detailed records of prescriptions and sales, which will be subject to government review.
Pharmacies will now be obligated to maintain detailed records of prescriptions and sales, which will be subject to government review.
The Ministry believes this will close loopholes that rogue operators have exploited to sell the drug without proper authorization.
Muthoni further revealed that the government will conduct frequent audits and inspections of pharmacies nationwide.
Muthoni further revealed that the government will conduct frequent audits and inspections of pharmacies nationwide.
These inspections will focus on reviewing prescription records to ensure compliance with the law. Pharmacies found dispensing Sildenafil without valid prescriptions risk penalties, including fines, license suspension, or closure.
The PS stressed that enforcement will be strict:
The PS stressed that enforcement will be strict:
“We will not tolerate pharmacies that flout the law. Controlled medicines must be dispensed responsibly and only with valid prescriptions.”
Alongside regulatory enforcement, the Ministry plans to launch public education campaigns to inform Kenyans about the dangers of misusing prescription‑only drugs.
Alongside regulatory enforcement, the Ministry plans to launch public education campaigns to inform Kenyans about the dangers of misusing prescription‑only drugs.
These campaigns will highlight the medical risks, the importance of consulting healthcare professionals, and the legal consequences of obtaining medicines without prescriptions.
The government hopes that by raising awareness, citizens will be less likely to seek performance‑enhancing drugs from unregulated sources.
The new measures follow revelations aired in Citizen TV’s documentary “Blues and Death”, which ran on Sunday night.
The government hopes that by raising awareness, citizens will be less likely to seek performance‑enhancing drugs from unregulated sources.
The new measures follow revelations aired in Citizen TV’s documentary “Blues and Death”, which ran on Sunday night.
The program exposed how a broken regulatory system allowed rogue pharmacies to sell Sildenafil freely, often without any medical guidance.
The documentary featured cases of Kenyans who had suffered adverse health effects after abusing the drug. It also highlighted how easy it was to purchase Blue Pills from informal outlets, raising alarm about the scale of the problem.
The documentary featured cases of Kenyans who had suffered adverse health effects after abusing the drug. It also highlighted how easy it was to purchase Blue Pills from informal outlets, raising alarm about the scale of the problem.
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