Chinese herbs that have been used to 'treat' a wide array of health problems for centuries. The government has introduced a new rule to inspect and ensure they are safe and of good quality. [Photo: americanpregnancy.org]All herbal products including those purported to help people lose weight fast, enhance sexual functions, enlarge sexual organs, lighten skin among other things, will now be inspected to ensure they are safe and of good quality.
The new rule applies to all imported medical devices, food supplements, medical cosmetics, herbal products and all other products which fall under the mandate of the Poisons and Pharmacy Board.
Kenya Bureau of Standard (KEBS) Managing Director Charles Ongwae said all the imports will have to be inspected at the country of origin and issued a Certificate of Conformity.
"This is in an effort to protect the public against imported products that do not comply with local quality standards and technical regulations," he said on Monday at Kebs Nairobi offices.
The new rule which takes effect on Friday is likely to shake up the multimillion-shilling market that remains largely unregulated despite past attempts by the government to do so.
Chinese herbal products that continue to flood the Kenyan market, are likely to suffer a major blow in a country where herbal supplements are not usually subjected to much scientific scrutiny and are not as strictly regulated as medication.