The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) has called for stronger quality assurance, safety monitoring and scientific evidence in traditional medicines as their use continues to form an important part of healthcare in Kenya.
The Board said greater attention to accurate dosing, standardised production and clear labelling will be critical to ensuring traditional medicine products are safe and of consistent quality for consumers.
The call was made during the 2026 African Traditional Medicine Day commemoration at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), where PPB participated in an exhibition and panel discussion alongside the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders.
The event, presided over by Cabinet Secretary for Health Aden Duale, was held under the theme, “Strengthening African Traditional Medicine through Research, Regulation and Integration for Universal Health Coverage.”
Representing PPB Chief Executive Officer Dr Ahmed Mohamed, the Board’s Head of Herbal and Complementary Medicines, Dr Edwin Burugu, said traditional medicine practitioners have a responsibility to embrace ethical practices and comply with regulatory requirements intended to protect public health.
Dr Burugu spoke during a panel discussion themed “From Tradition to Evidence, Regulation and Integration – Mandates, Achievements, Challenges and Opportunities.”
He said regulation should not be viewed as a barrier to the development of traditional medicine, but as a mechanism for protecting consumers, supporting practitioners, safeguarding traditional knowledge and building confidence in products placed on the market.
PPB registration data shows that 99 herbal medicinal products were registered between 2020 and 2026, with 42 of them registered over the last three years.
The data also shows that imported products continue to account for a significant proportion of recent registrations. Between 2024 and 2026, 33 of the 42 registered products were imported, compared with nine manufactured locally.
In 2024, five locally manufactured herbal products were registered compared with nine imported products. Local registrations declined to two in 2025 and remained at two in 2026, while imported registrations stood at 13 and 11 respectively.
The Board said the figures point to the need to strengthen local manufacturing capacity while ensuring products entering the market meet regulatory requirements for quality and safety.
PPB is encouraging closer collaboration among traditional medicine practitioners, researchers, manufacturers and regulators to strengthen evidence generation and support the development of quality-assured products.
The Board maintains that strengthening regulatory oversight alongside research and responsible product development will be important in building public confidence and supporting the contribution of traditional medicine to healthcare.
