Partnerships to strengthen public health systems

Nairobi MondayJune12, 2023 Today, Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni Muriuki of the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards convened a meeting with technical teams from Amref Health Africa and the State Department to reinforce their ongoing collaboration. The primary objective was to integrate policy areas into programs that align with the government's Strategic Direction.

During the meeting, the Principal Secretary emphasized the utmost importance of establishing a resilient public health system that can effectively respond to emergencies and pandemics. To achieve this, the State Department plans to leverage partnerships to strengthen risk communication and community engagement. Additionally, there is a concerted effort to establish a stockpile of laboratory reagents and Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to fortify the emergency response system.

The Principal Secretary also underscored the Ministry's unwavering commitment to continuously train an adequate number of Field Epidemiologists. These skilled professionals play a pivotal role in conducting routine surveillance, ensuring timely reports, and facilitating prompt responses to public health incidents. Moreover, the government is actively working on establishing surveillance and response strategies that will outline surveillance mechanisms and delineate the roles of various stakeholders, thereby fostering proper coordination.

The Principal Secretary acknowledged and appreciated Amref Health Africa's mission to improve the health of communities, with a particular focus on women and young people, through Primary Health Care. She remarked that their approach, which centers on people and addresses social determinants of health, closely aligns with the government's #AfyaBoraMashinani goal. The Principal Secretary expressed enthusiasm in harnessing this shared vision and goodwill to propel the ministry's agenda forward.