Kenya and the United States have reinforced their health partnership, focusing on expanding access to quality services and strengthening local health systems, following bilateral talks between Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The discussions, held at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, prioritized four key areas: developing a fit-for-purpose health workforce, ensuring sustainable health financing, securing reliable access to medical products and technologies, and building a resilient, digitized health system.
Duale emphasized the role of multidisciplinary primary healthcare teams and a robust community health workforce in delivering essential services to Kenyans.
CS Duale also provided updates on Kenya’s Social Health Insurance (SHI) reforms managed by the Social Health Authority (SHA).
The program now covers more than 27.6 million Kenyans and aims to enhance transparency, equity, and efficiency in health financing, marking a significant step in the country’s long-term strategy toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The meeting explored potential collaborations with US industry, academia, and government bodies to advance technology transfer, regulatory alignment, and local production of vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and diagnostic tools.
Duale welcomed the US Government’s commitment under the Government-to-Government (G2G) agreement, which aligns foreign investments with Kenya’s national health priorities.
Officials present included Jim O’Neill, Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services; Paige Armstrong, Director of the Global Health Centre; Chris McLean, Deputy Chief of Staff at CDC; and Ken Callahan, Chief Advisor.
The Kenyan delegation comprised Dr. Ouma Oluga, PS Medical Services; Dr. Andrew Mulwa, Head of NASCOP; and Dr. Kamene Kimenye, CEO of NPHI.
This engagement underscores Kenya’s ongoing efforts to strengthen health service delivery at the community level while fostering international partnerships to drive innovation, particularly in vaccine production and health technology.
The SHI reforms, combined with US-backed initiatives, signal continued progress toward a more sustainable and inclusive health sector in Kenya.