A Chinese herbal clinic, East and West Medical Centre, that uses alternative medicine, has been shut by Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB).
Situated along Ngong' Road in Nairobi county, the hospital failed to provide documents that permit it to operate the facility and deal with drugs.
The board confirmed that an ongoing crackdown on herbal clinics, which have become notorious, also saw 76 premises inspected and 29 persons arrested.
Among those charged is a Chinese national from the Chinese Medical Center. PPB confirmed that all who were arrested have been charged.
Most of the nabbed drugs appeared to have been packaged and manufactured in China.
“A large consignment of contraceptive pills labelled in Chinese and other assorted medicines all labelled in Chinese were seized,” stated Dr Dominic Kariuki Officer in charge, Good distribution Practices and Ports of Entry.
The crackdown targets clinics and pharmacy outlets that were found to have flouted regulations.
Mr Kariuki also listed some of the issues the board’s inspectorates were looking for which include; manufacturing of medicinal substances for sale without the necessary license, supplying of poisons (in cases where a container does not indicate the list of ingredients or manufacturing and expiry dates) and sale of unregistered drugs.
“The seized herbal products will also be taken for analysis to check for adulteration with conventional medicines and contamination,” Kariuki added.
He stated that their current operation revealed the disturbing environment in which the said herbal medicines are made, which are not only unhygienic but also unlicensed.
He gave details of a facility in Nairobi which has such a clinic in Ngara. It was found to manufacture or prepare its herbal medicines, claimed to cure cancer, at an iron sheet premise in Kahawa Wendani.
“Kenyans are advised to seek for treatment from the established mainstream healthcare facilities which stock registered products whose quality, safety and efficacy can be guaranteed,” he cautioned.
