NACADA Shuts Down 15 Rehab Centres as Nationwide Inspection Exposes Major Gaps

The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has released the findings of a comprehensive nationwide inspection of treatment and rehabilitation facilities, revealing both progress and critical gaps in Kenya’s addiction recovery landscape.

The inspection exercise, conducted in November 2025 under a Rapid Results Initiative (RRI), involved a multi-agency team drawn from relevant government institutions. A total of 236 rehabilitation facilities across 36 counties were assessed, marking the most extensive evaluation of Kenya’s addiction treatmentand rehabilitation capacity to date.

According to NACADA, 135 facilities were fully accredited following the inspections, collectively offering nearly 3,800 residential beds. These centres—many of which provide Level 3 residential rehabilitation services—currently form the backbone of the country’s treatment and recovery response.

However, the assessment also exposed serious compliance challenges within the sector. Thirty facilities were denied accreditation, while 15 centres were issued with immediate closure notices due to grave violations that posed direct risks to clients. These violations included the use of expired medicines, poor hygiene standards, unsafe infrastructure, and the absence of qualified medical personnel.

An additional 56 facilities were found to have significant compliance gaps and will remain under strict monitoring as they work to meet the required standards.

Beyond individual facility compliance, NACADA’s findings highlight deep-rooted systemic challenges. The majority of accredited rehabilitation centres are privately owned, making quality inpatient treatment financially inaccessible to many Kenyan families. At the same time, the country faces a severe shortage of public outpatient and community-based treatment services, limiting early intervention and long-term recovery support.

The situation is even more concerning for vulnerable groups. The inspection revealed an alarming lack of specialised rehabilitation services for women and adolescents, despite their unique treatment and psychosocial needs.

The scale of the problem magnifies these challenges. Data from NACADA’s most recent national survey indicates that more than 1.3 million Kenyans require treatment and rehabilitation services for alcohol and drug use disorders, far exceeding the current capacity of available facilities.

NACADA says the findings reinforce the urgency of the Presidential directive calling for the establishment of at least one rehabilitation centre in every county.

The Authority is urging county governments to prioritise the development of public, affordable, and accessible treatment facilities, while also calling on development partners, civil society, and the private sector to invest in community-based and specialised rehabilitation services.

“A strong, inclusive continuum of care—from prevention and treatment to recovery and reintegration—is essential to ensure that every Kenyan has a fair chance at recovery, restoration, and dignity,” the statement signed by Dr. Anthony Omerikwa, MBS, Chief Executive Officer of NACADA said. 

The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regulation, improving quality standards, and working with all stakeholders to build a safer, more equitable rehabilitation system nationwide.