Kenya, WHO Strengthen Strategic Health Partnership at Global Summit in India
New Delhi, India | — Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale held a high-level bilateral meeting with the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on the sidelines of the ongoing 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in India.
The meeting focused on deepening Kenya’s strategic partnership with WHO, with particular emphasis on health systems strengthening, local manufacturing, regulatory capacity, and emergency preparedness.
Reflecting on his recent consultations with the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Hon. Duale commended WHO’s sustained technical and political support to H.E. the President during early high-level engagements. He noted that this support has reinforced confidence at the highest levels of Government in WHO as a reliable and strategic partner.
The Cabinet Secretary reaffirmed Kenya’s appreciation for WHO’s longstanding collaboration in health, science, and innovation, while underscoring the country’s intention to elevate the partnership beyond traditional assistance models.
“Our priority is to advance technology transfer, industrial collaboration, and sustainable systems strengthening,” Hon. Duale said. “This approach aligns fully with H.E. the President’s role as African Union Champion for Local Manufacturing, aimed at reducing dependency and strengthening Africa’s capacity to produce essential health commodities.”
He highlighted that Kenya has already initiated targeted regulatory and investment reforms, including an accelerated six-month evaluation timeline and reduced regulatory fees for locally manufactured products. These measures have attracted 13 new pharmaceutical manufacturers, strengthening the country’s local production ecosystem.
Hon. Duale also outlined Kenya’s progress towards attaining WHO Maturity Level 3 by 2026 through the implementation of Institutional Development Plans. An updated progress report is expected by , with a re-benchmarking mission anticipated from .
The Cabinet Secretary called for continued WHO technical assistance, particularly in training and capacity building across critical regulatory functions for medicines and vaccines. He further emphasised the need to strengthen emergency preparedness and response in the face of growing global risks, including climate change, focusing on surveillance systems, early warning mechanisms, rapid response capacity, and workforce readiness.
As global negotiations on the Pandemic Agreement advance, Kenya will continue to engage with WHO to ensure equitable outcomes that protect national interests while promoting global solidarity.
Hon. Duale also sought WHO’s normative and technical support in strengthening health systems, expanding primary healthcare, and deepening collaboration in research, knowledge exchange, and implementation science through key national institutions, including the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB), Kenya Biovax Institute, the National Public Health Institute (NPHI), and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI).
He reaffirmed Kenya’s readiness to lead with strong political commitment and a clear implementation roadmap, expressing confidence that the partnership with WHO will translate into tangible, measurable benefits for Kenyans and contribute to global health security.