The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has closed down 15 rehabilitation facilities due to serious violations that posed risk to clients, including expired medicines, poor hygiene, unsafe structures, and a lack of qualified medical personnel.

This comes after the Authority, in November 2025, conducted a nationwide inspection of 236 facilities across 36 counties under the Rapid Results Initiative (RRI).

As a result of the inspection, 135 facilities were fully accredited, offering a combined residential bed capacity of nearly 3,800.

NACADA CEO Dr. Anthony Omerikwa says that these accredited centres, many providing Level 3 residential services, form the backbone of the country’s treatment and recovery response.

“However, 30 facilities were denied accreditation… An additional 56 facilities were found to have compliance gaps and will remain under close monitoring,” Dr. Omerikwa said in a statement.

According to NACADA, most accredited facilities are privately owned, making quality inpatient care unaffordable for many families. 

“There is a critical shortage of public outpatient and community-based services, and an alarming lack of specialised rehabilitation services for women and adolescents,” Dr. Omerikwa added.

The Authority notes that from their last national survey on the status of alcohol and drug abuse in the country, over 1.3 million Kenyans need treatment and rehabilitation services for alcohol and drug use disorders.

These outcomes, Dr. Omerikwa says, underscore the urgency of the presidential directive to establish a rehabilitation centre in every county.

“NACADA calls on county governments to prioritise public, accessible treatment facilities and urges partners to invest in community-based and specialised services. A strong, inclusive continuum of care is essential to ensure every Kenyan can access recovery, restoration, and reintegration.”