The World Health Organization (WHO) has added semaglutide, widely known as Ozempic, to its Essential Medicines List, recognizing its use for managing type 2 diabetes and long-term weight management. This decision includes 20 new medicines for adults, making them a priority for healthcare systems globally.

• The drug gained global attention for its effective use in weight loss.
• The Kenya Ministry of Health previously issued a warning on August 19 against unapproved use of Ozempic for weight loss, stating it's strictly for type 2 diabetes.
• The Pharmacy and Poison Board (PPB) CEO, Fred Siyoi, highlighted that semaglutide is a Prescription-Only Medicine, and unsupervised use can lead to serious health outcomes like hypoglycemia and intestinal obstruction.