Medicine is meant to heal, not harm.
Kenyan households dispose of an estimated 1,800,000 kilograms of expired medicines every year through unsafe disposal methods such as throwing them in garbage bins or flushing them down toilets. A reason being that there is a lack of awareness among the general public when it comes to safe disposal practices of unused and expired medicine in Kenya, and its subsequent effects.
This improper disposal of medicines causes serious environmental and health consequences as they can leach hazardous chemicals into our soil and water, contaminating the environment.
The more immediate and dangerous problem occurs when these medicines end up in landfills and are often collected and redistributed to underserved communities who are desperate for affordable treatment. Unfortunately, the consumption of expired medicines leads to antibiotic resistance, worsening illness, and even death.
As 85% of Kenyans dispose of their medicine incorrectly, Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital – one of Kenya’s most trusted healthcare providers decided to make an impact on this health and safety crisis and inspire change.
At Kenya’s largest landfill, located in Dandora slum, Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital constructed The Harmacy – a mock pharmacy using materials found on site and stocked entirely with medicine and pharma-waste collected from the landfill. As the advertising agency then used The Harmacy event to launch #DispoSafely, a program that facilitated the collection and safe disposal of medicine.
The campaign became Africa’s first public awareness and action program, enabling Kenyans everywhere to take part and safely dispose of their unused and expired medicine at Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital branches located throughout the country.