Veterinary body decries rise in counterfeit drugs

The Kenya Veterinary Board (KVB) has decried the rise in counterfeit livestock drugs in the market.

According to the Board’s chairman, Dr Mwenda Mbaka, there are increasing reports of cases of counterfeit drugs across the country.

He said a spot check by KVB revealed numerous stockists were selling the counterfeit drugs to unsuspecting farmers while others were operating without professional qualifications and called on the government to crack the whip on them.

He said that this has been happening despite there being regulations by the body to ensure professional practice for accurate diagnoses.

Dr Mbaka, who was speaking in Ol Joro-Orok, Nyandarua during the 36th AHITI Nyahururu Graduation Ceremony for Animal Health Assistants, said proper handling of drugs was paramount to safeguard their potency adding that animal drugs were poisonous and hence calls for proper use and disposal to avert incidences of vet wastes to protect the environment so as to protect public and environmental health.

He noted that KVB was committed to ensure that regulations of vets practitioners is adhered to in order to uphold vets standards.

KVB regulates the training, practice, and professionalism of Veterinary Practitioners as well as the delivery of animal welfare.