James Mokoro has been elected chairperson of Kenya Association of Pharmaceutical Industry (Kapi).
Mokoro, of Reckitt Benckiser Services (K) Limited, was elected during the organisation’s 19th Annual General Meeting.
Kapi brings together pharmaceutical companies that research, develop, manufacture and import healthcare products and technologies in Kenya.
Evah Amwayi from Haleon was elected as vice chairperson and Stella Kiptanui of ION Kenya(My Dawa) as executive secretary.
The rest of the board members include Michael Onyango (Medsource), John Mwangi (Bayer), Anne Dembah (Pfizer), Christopher Odero (Roche) and David Odhiambo (Novartis).
The newly elected Executive Committee will serve in office for a three-year term.
Mokoro takes over from outgoing chairperson Winnie Ng’ang’a, who has served as a chairperson for three years.
Mokoro is a long-standing member of Kapi, having served the association in several capacities since 2015.
Speaking after the elections, Mokoroi expressed his appreciation to the members for choosing him as chairman.
He emphasised on the need for collaboration and ethical business practice in the pharma industry.
“Our priority as the pharmaceutical industry is to contribute towards improving the health of people through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products and health technologies. We must strive to create innovation and deliver innovative medical solutions that meet the needs of patients,” he said.
He promised to steer the industry to adopt the Code of Practice to foster ethical interactions between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals.
Kapi will also participate in the stakeholder discussions on the implementation of Universal Healthcare by the Ministry of Health.
Mokoro assured that the industry will continue to stand on the forefront of healthcare change and support the country in implementing universal healthcare while continually striving to fulfil the expectations of the stakeholders and society with a focus on the patient.
Kapi’s key objective is to ensure access to first class quality medicines by clinicians and patients.
Member companies include: Astra Zeneca; Bayer E.A Limited; Beta Healthcare Limitde (Aspen SA); Boehringer Ingelheim; Glaxo Smithkline; Harleys Limited; Highchem Pharma Ltd; Johnson & Johnson; Laborex (K) Ltd; Mac Naughton Pharma; Novartis Pharma Services Inc; Pfizer Laboratories Ltd; Phillips Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Roche Products Ltd; Servier, Surgipharm Ltd, Medsource, Imperial Managed Solutions, Bbraun, Merck, Reckitt Benckiser, ION Kenya (My dawa), Novo Nordisk, Sisi Pharmaceuticals; and DNDi.