Buprenorphine / Buprenorphine-Naloxone | Medications

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Controlled Medicine: MAT Programmes Only

Dispensed through licensed MAT programmes in Kenya.

What it treats

Which conditions is Buprenorphine / Buprenorphine-Naloxone used for?

Overview

What is Buprenorphine / Buprenorphine-Naloxone?

Buprenorphine is used as a treatment for opioid use disorder within licensed MAT programmes. It is often combined with naloxone in a combined formulation called Suboxone, which reduces the risk of the medicine being misused.

Compared to methadone, buprenorphine has a built-in safety advantage: because it is only a partial activator of opioid receptors, increasing the dose beyond a certain point produces no additional effect. This ceiling effect means taking a larger amount does not produce the dangerous breathing suppression that methadone can at high doses.

Both buprenorphine and buprenorphine-naloxone are listed in Kenya's Essential Medicines List 2023.

How it works

What does it do in the brain?

Buprenorphine partially activates the same receptors that heroin and other opioids target. This partial activation is enough to prevent withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings, but is not sufficient to produce the intense effects associated with heroin. The naloxone component deters injection misuse. If injected, naloxone immediately blocks all opioid effects.

Formulations in Kenya

How is it available?

Sublingual film or tablet

Available through MAT programmes

Dissolved under the tongue

MAT programme facilities only

Availability across Africa

Where is it available in Africa and what is it called?

Names and availability vary by country. Always confirm with a local pharmacist or healthcare provider.

Country	Common Brand Name(s)	Notes
Uganda	Subutex, Suboxone	Available through select MAT programmes in Kampala.
Tanzania	Suboxone	Available through MAT programmes in Dar es Salaam.
South Africa	Suboxone, Subutex	Available in private addiction clinics and select public MAT programmes.
Nigeria	Suboxone	Available through select private addiction treatment centres in Lagos and Abuja.
Mauritius	Suboxone	Part of the national MAT programme; available as an alternative to methadone.

Side effects

What might you feel while taking it?

These are the most commonly reported effects. Not everyone experiences them, and many settle within the first few weeks.

Headache
Nausea
Constipation
Insomnia
Sweating
With long-term sublingual use, dental hygiene needs extra attention

Go to a doctor or emergency room straight away if you notice any of the following.

If taken before a person is in sufficient withdrawal from opioids, buprenorphine can trigger sudden severe withdrawal. Your MAT team will assess readiness before giving the first dose.
Breathing problems remain a risk if buprenorphine is combined with alcohol, benzodiazepines, or other sedating substances.

Who should not take it

Important warnings before starting

Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, allergies, and other medicines before starting Buprenorphine / Buprenorphine-Naloxone.

Taking the medicine before opioid withdrawal has adequately begun
Severe liver disease
Currently taking MAOIs

Special care needed

Situations that need extra attention

The first dose is given only after the MAT team confirms you are in adequate withdrawal
Never share buprenorphine with anyone
Avoid alcohol and benzodiazepines during treatment
If you are pregnant, continue MAT, it is the recommended approach

Pregnancy
Buprenorphine without naloxone is preferred during pregnancy. Continuing MAT is strongly recommended over attempting opioid withdrawal during pregnancy. Specialist care is available.

Breastfeeding
Low levels in breast milk. Breastfeeding is generally encouraged in stable patients. Discuss with your MAT team.

Other medicines

Medicines and substances that can interact with it

Always tell your doctor and pharmacist about every medicine, supplement, and herbal remedy you take, including those bought without a prescription.

Alcohol and benzodiazepines: Significantly increases risk of breathing problems. Must be avoided.
Certain HIV medicines and antifungals: Can raise buprenorphine levels. Your HIV doctor and MAT team need to coordinate.
Rifampicin (TB treatment): Reduces buprenorphine levels and may trigger withdrawal. Must be managed alongside the MAT team.

Tests and follow-up

What your doctor will monitor

Regular attendance at the MAT clinic
Liver function tests at baseline and periodically
HIV and hepatitis screening at enrolment
Dental health for long-term users of sublingual formulations

Stopping this medicine

What happens if you stop taking it?

Stopping buprenorphine should be done gradually and only with MAT team support. Abrupt stopping leads to withdrawal and significantly increases the risk of opioid relapse.

In Kenya

What you should know about this medicine in Kenya

Buprenorphine-naloxone is available within Kenya's established MAT programmes as an alternative to methadone. It offers a safer pharmacological profile and greater flexibility for take-home dosing as patients stabilise.

The combination formulation reduces diversion risk, which is important in settings where drug misuse is a concern.

Expanding access to MAT beyond current programme sites is a national health priority, given the significant burden of opioid use disorder particularly along the Kenyan coast.

Sources

References

Ministry of Health, Kenya. (2023). Kenya Essential Medicines List 2023. Nairobi: Ministry of Health.
Ministry of Health, Kenya. (2023). Kenya National Medicines Formulary, 1st Edition. Nairobi: Ministry of Health.
World Health Organization. (2009). Guidelines for the psychosocially assisted pharmacological treatment of opioid dependence. Geneva: WHO.
World Health Organization. (2023). Model List of Essential Medicines, 23rd Edition. Geneva: WHO.
NACADA. (2017). National Guidelines for Medically Assisted Treatment in Kenya. Nairobi: NACADA/Ministry of Health.