Nairobi: Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale met with a delegation from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to discuss two priority health initiatives aimed at advancing Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The delegation was led by Dr. Alex Mubiru.
According to Kenya News Agency, the discussions focused on establishing Level VI Referral and Teaching Hospitals in Bungoma and Kericho counties. The planned facilities aim to decentralize specialized healthcare services, reduce long-distance referrals, and decongest national referral hospitals.
The AfDB team emphasized the urgency of these investments, highlighting the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases, trauma cases, and medical emergencies. CS Duale praised the bank for a structured program that integrates specialized service delivery, health workforce development, health systems strengthening, and robust program management to ensure sustainability.
CS Duale stated that after reviewing the draft aide-m©moire, the Government and AfDB are addressing outstanding technical issues. He requested AfDB support for feasibility studies for the two hospitals, potentially through the East African Kidney Institute (EAKI) loan facility, and called for an expedited appraisal and approval process, targeting completion before March 2026.
Duale noted that the proposed projects align with President Dr. William Samoei Ruto’s health agenda, supporting UHC, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, and Kenya Vision 2030. He emphasized that the initiatives will strengthen primary healthcare, expand access to specialized services, modernize health infrastructure, and promote equity in healthcare delivery.
The Ministry of Health reaffirmed its role as the executing agency, committing to governance, accountability, climate-smart and gender-responsive planning, and sustainable financing. AfDB remains a key development partner as Kenya continues to roll out quality, accessible healthcare for all.
CS Duale was accompanied by the Director-General for Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth, and senior Ministry officials during the discussions.
