The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has painted a worrying picture of rehabilitation services in Kenya following a recent nationwide inspection.
Conducted in November 2025 under the Rapid Results Initiative (RRI), the exercise sought to evaluate the country’s capacity to treat and rehabilitate people struggling with alcohol and drug addiction.
NACADA’s review involved a multi-agency team and covered 236 treatment and rehabilitation facilities across all 36 counties.
According to NACADA’s findings, only 135 of these facilities were fully accredited, providing approximately 3,800 residential beds for patients.
These accredited centres are considered the backbone of Kenya’s treatment and recovery system, with many offering Level 3 residential rehabilitation services that provide intensive care.
However, the inspection revealed significant challenges and gaps in the sector. Thirty facilities failed to meet minimum standards and were denied accreditation.
Of these, 15 were issued with immediate closure notices due to severe violations that put clients at risk, including expired medicines, unsafe infrastructure, poor hygiene, and a lack of qualified medical personnel.
Another 56 facilities were found to have compliance gaps and are now under close monitoring while authorities require corrective actions.
The report highlighted broader systemic issues affecting access and quality of care. Most accredited rehabilitation centres are privately owned, making inpatient treatment expensive and largely inaccessible to many families.
NACADA also pointed out a critical shortage of public outpatient and community-based services, along with an acute lack of specialised programmes for women and adolescents.
The Authority noted that data from its most recent national survey shows that more than 1.3 million Kenyans urgently need treatment and rehabilitation services for alcohol and drug use disorders.
These findings underscore the need for urgent action. NACADA emphasized the importance of implementing the President’s directive to establish at least one rehabilitation centre in every county.
The Authority urged county governments to prioritise public, accessible treatment facilities while calling on development partners to invest in community-based and specialised services. Strengthening the rehabilitation sector, NACADA stressed, is crucial not only for recovery but also for the restoration and reintegration of individuals into society.
The report serves as a stark reminder that Kenya’s fight against alcohol and drug abuse requires coordinated efforts, investment in both public and private sectors, and policies that ensure no Kenyan is left without access to vital treatment and rehabilitation services. Without immediate action, the gap between need and available care is likely to widen, leaving vulnerable populations at continued risk.
