China has made a strategic commitment in developing Kenya’s future healthcare leadership by offering 500 scholarships and pledging to finance 20 yearly health exchange programs.
Kenya and the Chinese government will collaborate to create regional centers for the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and vaccines.
The announcement came after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale met with a Chinese delegation headed by Ambassador Guo Haiyan to discuss the implementation of a USD 500 million (Ksh 64.7 billion) project that is anticipated to establish Kenya as a leader in the production of health products on the continent by 2028.
According to the CS, in keeping with the government’s development agenda, the cooperation aims to improve local supply chains, lessen Kenya’s dependency on imports, and generate new employment.
Duale also revealed that China has made a strategic commitment in developing Kenya’s future healthcare leadership by offering 500 scholarships and pledging to finance 20 yearly health exchange programs.
He also asked China to help Kenya move from a donor-dependent to a co-investment model of healthcare innovation.
In addition to providing the delegation with an update on the nation’s ongoing health sector reforms, specifically the establishment of the Social Health Authority (SHA), the CS suggested forming a Kenya–China Health Cooperation Taskforce to expedite agreements and coordinate efforts between the two nations.
Duale praised China’s ongoing assistance through companies like Huawei, which has trained thousands of healthcare professionals and provided digital technology to rural health clinics.
Director-General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth and Public Health PS Mary Muthoni joined him.
