Nairobi — The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) has commenced the implementation of advanced Near Infrared Technology (NIR), known as Pillscan, to enhance medicine quality control.

In a statement on Wednesday, the institution stated that the technology will improve its quality control systems by detecting substandard and falsified medical products, thereby ensuring the safety, quality, and effectiveness of medicines.

The implementation phase, which began on Monday, December 9, includes personnel retraining conducted by software engineers from Global Health Labs USA and equipment qualification.

Additionally, the implementation involves the development of a comprehensive library to support the technology's operation.

"To maximize the impact of this new tool, training [was] conducted for PPB staff, county pharmacists, and KEMSA personnel," the PPB said.

The Board noted that the technology would bolster surveillance of the Kenyan pharmaceutical market and protect public health, ultimately benefiting Kenyans.

PPB will also use the tool for on-site screening of medical products at PPB regional offices and key entry points before distribution for use.

The development coincides with the Board's repeated recalls of various medications distributed across the country due to safety concerns, incorrect labeling, or other issues.

The Board's recall of drugs has raised questions about the safety measures in place to ensure that the public uses safe medications.

Recently, the Board warned against the use of the cancer drug Flurasted 500 from batch number HHP24017, citing safety concerns.

In a statement posted on X on Thursday, the Board urged the public to stop using the drug immediately and to report any related issues.

The Board's CEO, Fred Siyoi, explained that a market complaint regarding the appearance of the drug prompted this action.

Additionally, the Board has recalled Efinox medicine with batch numbers 82979 and 82978 due to a labeling mix-up.