Kenya and India have agreed to deepen cooperation in health systems reform, digital health, and pharmaceutical manufacturing following bilateral talks held on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale met India’s Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Hon. Jagat Prakash Nadda, at the Palais des Nations, where the two leaders discussed areas of mutual interest aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery and expanding universal access.
Duale said the engagement focused on key priority areas under Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), including Universal Health Coverage (UHC), health financing reforms, infrastructure development, and wider access to affordable care.
“Our discussions focused on strengthening collaboration in health systems, digital health, pharmaceutical manufacturing, traditional medicine and advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC),” Duale said.
He added that Kenya is pushing reforms anchored on primary healthcare and digital integration to improve efficiency and service delivery across the country.
“I highlighted Kenya’s ongoing reforms under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), including Universal Health Coverage (UHC) expansion, health financing reforms, improved infrastructure and broader access to affordable care, with a strong emphasis on primary healthcare and digital systems,” he said.
Digital health emerged as a central pillar of the discussions, with both countries exploring opportunities in telemedicine, virtual care, referral systems, and integrated health information platforms.
Duale noted that India’s experience in scaling digital health services offered important lessons for Kenya’s ongoing transformation of its health sector.
“Digital health emerged as a key priority, with opportunities identified in telemedicine, virtual care, referral systems and integrated health information platforms,” he said.
India shared insights from its extensive digital health ecosystem, which has connected hundreds of millions of citizens and strengthened tracking systems for maternal and child health.
“We also agreed on the need to scale up pharmaceutical manufacturing in Kenya and the region, focusing on local production, development of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), technology transfer and stronger regulatory frameworks to support innovation and self-reliance,” Duale said.
The two countries also agreed on the importance of expanding local pharmaceutical production to reduce import dependence and improve access to essential medicines.
Duale was accompanied by senior officials including Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva H.E. Dr. Fancy Too, Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, Eng. Anthony Lenaiyara, CEO of the Digital Health Agency, Dr. Bashir Issak, Director of Family Health at the Ministry of Health, and Dr. Andrew Mulwa, Head of NASCOP.