New Bill seeks to expand rehab, harm reduction services nationwide
The Harm Reduction Bill, 2025, aims to create a legal structure that ensures these services are accessible in public health facilities, to reduce overdoses, drug-related deaths and the transmission of infectious diseases.
A new law under consideration in Parliament promises to improve support for people struggling with drug and substance abuse by mandating both the national and county governments to provide rehabilitation and harm reduction services.
The Harm Reduction Bill, 2025, aims to create a legal structure that ensures these services are accessible in public health facilities, to reduce overdoses, drug-related deaths and the transmission of infectious diseases.
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Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris, who sponsored the Bill, outlines interventions that cover treatment, healthcare, counselling, psychosocial support, peer recovery programmes, and assistance for families and caregivers affected by substance use disorder.
“The Cabinet Secretary shall develop a comprehensive policy and a national strategy on harm reduction to ensure improved welfare and treatment of persons with substance use disorder,” the Bill states.
The legislation describes harm reduction as strategies and policies that lessen the harmful physical, social and health effects of drug use, ranging from safer use to complete abstinence. It obliges the government to run community programmes supporting the care and rehabilitation of those affected and to promote awareness about available services.
“The national government shall promote and provide psychosocial support, peer recovery support services, counselling and treatment of persons with substance use disorder, their families, caregivers, dependents and the community in general,” the Bill adds.
Under the draft law, the Health Cabinet Secretary is required to develop a national policy for harm reduction services in public hospitals and maintain a register recording the number of people with substance use disorder, their ages, sex, diagnoses and deaths.
The CS will also establish standards for facilities delivering these services and set up a dedicated directorate within the Ministry of Health to oversee implementation.
The Bill directs the Ministry to establish harm reduction centres equipped with trained health professionals and the necessary medical resources.
County governments, through their CEC for Health, will implement the national policies and strategies, allocate resources, and ensure that harm reduction programmes are delivered effectively at the local level.
The law also makes it an offence for health providers to refuse access to harm reduction services without a valid reason or to withhold treatment or information from patients.
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