Kenya, WHO Strengthen Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Universal Health Coverage

Nairobi, Kenya - 4 February 2026 - Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale today held a high-level strategic engagement with representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), led by Acting WHO Representative to Kenya Neema Kimambo, to deepen collaboration aimed at fast-tracking Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.

The Cabinet Secretary outlined Kenya’s ongoing, transformative health sector reforms anchored on the Taifa Care Model and sustainable health financing through the Social Health Authority (SHA), noting that more than 29 million Kenyans are already enrolled. He emphasised that these reforms are critical to expanding equitable access to quality healthcare services across the country.

Hon. Duale highlighted the deployment of 107,000 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to bring health services closer to households, enhance transparency and accountability, and curb fraud through the Digital Health Superhighway. He further noted that reforms at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) are strengthening last-mile delivery of essential health products and technologies—key pillars in advancing UHC.

The meeting was also briefed on the rollout of the Maternal and Newborn Health Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) and the Every Woman, Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) agenda, which target high-burden counties to reduce maternal and newborn mortality. In addition, ongoing policy measures, including the bed access rule and the Quality Healthcare and Patient Safety Bill 2025, were highlighted as critical steps to standardise care, safeguard patient rights, and establish a new regulatory authority to strengthen patient safety.

To further deepen collaboration, the Cabinet Secretary sought WHO’s technical support in health financing, regulatory systems strengthening—including Kenya’s pursuit of WHO Global Benchmarking Tool Maturity Level 3 (ML3)—and the promotion of local pharmaceutical manufacturing. The discussions also underscored WHO’s leadership in health security, particularly in coordinating large-scale epidemic responses and the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) process.

Additional areas of collaboration discussed included evidence generation through a Reproductive Age Mortality Survey (RAMOS), deployment of data science expertise to strengthen maternal and newborn health analytics, and provision of normative guidance to harmonise key health laws with international best practice.

The engagement concluded with updates on the upcoming International Maternal Newborn Health Conference and the World Health Summit Regional Meeting, both set to be hosted in Kenya in March and April respectively, providing global platforms to showcase the country’s progress towards UHC.

Hon. Duale was accompanied by Director-General for Health Patrick Amoth, alongside senior Ministry of Health directors and technical leads.