Kenya is set to benefit from a raft of healthcare and education initiatives following a high-level meeting between Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Chinese Ambassador Guo Haiyan.
In a statement on Monday, June 9, the Ministry of Health said a $500 million (Ksh65 billion) initiative, aimed at bolstering Kenya’s medical production capacity, was at the heart of the talks.
"The USD500 million transformative joint initiative seeks to strengthen Kenya’s supply chains, reduce import dependency, create employment in line with the government’s development agenda, and position Kenya as a continental leader in health product manufacturing—a vision expected to become a reality by 2028 with support from the Chinese government," the Ministry stated.
The Ministry further noted that China offered Kenya 500 scholarships and 20 annual health exchange programs designed to build local capacity and foster long-term collaboration.
"Underscoring the project as a gateway for deeper collaboration, the Cabinet Secretary welcomed China’s offer of 500 scholarships and 20 annual health exchange programs as a key investment in Kenya’s future health leadership.
"He also sought Chinese support to transition from donor-dependence to co-investment in healthcare innovation," the statement added.
During the meeting, Duale briefed the delegation on Kenya’s ongoing health sector reforms, particularly the establishment of the Social Health Authority (SHA), which is at the center of the country’s new universal health coverage framework.
"Briefing the delegation on Kenya’s ongoing health sector reforms, particularly the Social Health Authority (SHA), Hon. Duale proposed the establishment of a Kenya–China Health Cooperation Taskforce to harmonize priorities, fast-track MoUs, and monitor progress.
"He also commended China’s ongoing support through technology firms like Huawei, which have been instrumental in equipping rural health facilities and training thousands of health workers," the Ministry said.
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