Ken Accajou, deputy CEO, CFAO Healthcare and head of English and Portuguese-speaking area Retail.
A newly
released white paper publication suggests that the
use of falsified antimalarials could be causing
over 100,000 unnecessary deaths in Africa.
The publication by CFAO, a pharmaceutical
distributor in Africa, and the
OPALS Foundation, also suggests that one in three medicines circulating in Africa may be fake.
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports
that only one in 10 medical products in Africa are substandard or falsified. These
fake medicines are especially antimalarials and antibiotics.
In Kenya,
where over 70 per cent of medicines are
imported, a fragmented distribution network and rising cases of fake drugs are
exposing patients to life-threatening risks.
The white
paper titled “Securing the Medicine
Distribution Network in Africa” indicates that women are excessively
exposed with African women being 130 times more likely to die from
complications related to pregnancy or childbirth than European and North
American women.
For economic,
geographical or cultural reasons, or due to unavailability of quality medicines
in pharmacies, many African women resort to the
informal market posing an immense and intolerable risk to them. As a result,
for example, a pill that was banned in Kenya ten years ago is still circulating
covertly.
The CFAO
white paper raises awareness on the critical role of official medicine
distribution networks across Africa, and specifically in Kenya. It explores key
actors, existing frameworks, and highlights the urgent need for a reliable,
traceable supply chain to guarantee the integrity of medicines reaching
patients.
Speaking
at the release of the white paper, Ken Accajou, deputy CEO of CFAO Healthcare & Head of English and
Portuguese-speaking Area Retail, said: “The medicine distribution crisis
in Africa is not just a supply chain issue but a matter of life and death.
While Kenya is doing well because of a strong private sector, this white paper
is a call to action: we must strengthen official channels and empower local
health systems to better protect their people.”
The
publication is grounded in robust data, expert analysis, and testimonials from
across the healthcare ecosystem including government agencies, pharmacists,
NGOs, and medical laboratories. These insights are aimed at driving actionable
change and fostering a safer, more accessible and efficient pharmaceutical
system for all.
“Kenya
has made great strides in healthcare, but the fight against counterfeit
medicines remains a major challenge,” added Gavin Pearson, CEO of CFAO
Healthcare Kenya.
“By
bringing together government, regulators, and private sector players, we can
build a safer and more transparent pharmaceutical supply chain. Our goal at
CFAO Healthcare Kenya is to ensure that every patient receives genuine,
high-quality medicine, no matter where they are.”
The white
paper also highlights the factors that fuel the illegal pharmaceutical market
in Africa: limited access to affordable medicines, supply chain gaps, and the
unchecked rise of street markets where unverified drugs are sold. In Kenya,
such parallel networks have grown in areas with poor regulatory reach-
endangering lives and draining trust from the formal healthcare system.