NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 28 — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Tuesday met with senior officials from the World Health Organization to advance discussions on global health cooperation and regional health security during the World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2026 in Nairobi.
The Ministry of Health said the meeting brought together WHO Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge, and WHO Kenya Country Representative Neema Kimambo, reaffirming Kenya’s commitment to strengthening its health system in partnership with the global body.
Discussions centred on Kenya’s ongoing health sector reforms under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), with a focus on achieving Universal Health Coverage through resilient systems, equitable access, and sustainable financing.
“Deliberations also covered global health cooperation amid evolving fiscal and geopolitical pressures, with emphasis on practical, partnership-driven solutions,” MoH said.
Key priorities included Kenya’s push to scale up local pharmaceutical manufacturing, strengthen regulation through the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, and deepen its role in global health diplomacy to ensure African interests are better represented in international decision-making.
The talks further explored opportunities for enhanced South-South and Africa–Europe collaboration, particularly in health workforce development, digital health systems, technology transfer, and efforts to build more equitable and resilient supply chains.
Regional health security, especially in the Horn of Africa, featured prominently, with Kenya highlighting its commitment to preparedness and response frameworks, as well as ongoing efforts to integrate traditional medicine into the formal health system with WHO support.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga, Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muthoni, Director-General for Health Patrick Amoth, alongside other senior ministry officials.