KENYA: PS Muthoni Warns Against Self-Medication

By Moses Punyuah, Nairobi Kenya.

Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni has cautioned Kenyans against the growing habit of self-medication, warning that the practice poses serious health risks.

She said medicines should only be taken after consultation with qualified health professionals and proper diagnosis, noting that misuse of drugs, especially antibiotics, is driving antimicrobial resistance. “People should stop prescribing drugs for themselves. Any medicine bought from a chemist must be recommended by a qualified health professional after proper examination and laboratory tests,” Muthoni said.

The PS warned that relying on past prescriptions or untrained advice from pharmacies weakens treatment outcomes and can make infections harder to manage in future. She further linked self-medication to delayed diagnosis of serious illnesses, including cancer, saying many patients mask symptoms instead of seeking screening. “Self-medication discourages people from going for testing, which is why many diseases are detected too late,” she noted.