On Wednesday, January 3, the Rwanda Food Drugs Authority (RFDA) announced that it was recalling a drug manufactured in Kikuyu, Kenya.
In a statement, RFDA directed that it was recalling batches of Fluconazole 200mg tablets which had been imported to the country from Kenya.
This followed an earlier notification from the Authority, which had alerted the Kenyan manufacturer of discolouration in the Fluconazole 200mg tablets.
According to RFDA, four bulk batches of pink Fluconazole 200mg tablets imported into the country had a white discolouration after a short shelf life.
“Rwanda FDA instructs all importers, central medical stores, wholesalers, RMS branches, retailers, Public and Private Health Facilities to stop the distribution of the above-mentioned batches of fluconazole 200mg tablets and return them to their suppliers for proper management,” the recall statement read in part.
Further, importers and suppliers of the drug were requested to report to RFDA within 10 days from the date of recall.
Health officials and authorities in Rwanda will be seeking to know from the importers and suppliers the quantities of the fluconazole 200mg tablets distributed.
This will enable President Paul Kagame’s government to ascertain the adverse effects the drug has had on Rwandans.
Additionally, the importers and suppliers will issue the Health Ministry with quantities returned and final stocks on hand.
At the time of publication, the Kenyan Health Ministry had not stated whether the drug would be recalled from Kenyan hospitals and chemists.
There was also no report of the pink tablet displaying a white discolouration in the Kenyan market.
In February 2020, Rwanda banned Kenyan-made azithromycin dry suspension 200 mg/5ml (Zerocin) following what they termed multiple complaints from users.
However, it is common for countries around the world to recall products in an effort to protect local consumers. In August last year, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled over 100,000 pairs of jeans made in Kenya for babies after they featured metal snaps that could potentially harm the infants.
