Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Health, Aden Duale, today inspected ongoing preparations at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) to assess readiness ahead of the Kenya Health Summit, scheduled for 18 and 19 August 2026.
The two-day national event, themed ‘Reforms Delivered, Health as a Right,’ will be presided over by President Dr. William Ruto. It will provide a platform for the Government to account to Kenyans on progress in transforming the health sector under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and chart the next phase of Universal Health Coverage.
The Summit will highlight significant reforms across healthcare financing, primary healthcare, specialised care, health commodities, digital health, the health workforce, and maternal and newborn health.
Duale outlined that among the milestones to be showcased are the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority’s fill rate of more than 90 percent, the expansion of specialised services through the National Equipment Service Programme, and the registration of more than 31 million Kenyans by the Social Health Authority.
According to the CS, discussions will also focus on the role of digital health in strengthening transparency, accountability and service delivery, as well as the contribution of Community Health Promoters in providing preventive and promotive services at the household level.
“Importantly, maternal and newborn health will feature prominently through the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere initiative and the planned deployment of an additional 5,000 nurses and midwives to strengthen care and reduce preventable deaths,” he disclosed.
The Summit, Duale added, will also bring together national and county governments, regulatory agencies, referral hospitals, healthcare professionals, development partners and other stakeholders from across the health sector.
Ultimately, the CS revealed that the Summit will culminate in a Town Hall session moderated by President Ruto, providing Kenyans with an opportunity to share their experiences, raise concerns, and outline their expectations for the health system.
On the whole, the Summit will reinforce the Government’s commitment to building a responsive and equitable health system in which quality healthcare is accessible to every Kenyan as a right, not a privilege.
By Michael Omondi
