Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has met the leadership of Terumo Corporation to advance efforts to expand access to lifesaving blood and healthcare services.
The delegation, led by Chairperson Mr Toshiaki Takagi and Ms Antoinette Gawin, President and CEO of Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, held partnership talks with the aim to support patients with sickle cell disease, cancer, and other critical conditions.
Duale noted that the collaboration was a key pillar of the Taifa Care Model, reflecting the country’s commitment to advanced, patient-centred healthcare.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding signed in August 2025, CS Duale disclosed that the partnership covers safe access to high-quality blood and blood components, improved patient support systems, healthcare worker training, research, and public awareness on sickle cell disease.
“Progress under the partnership continues to take shape. Terumo has joined the Haematological Diseases Technical Working Group, a Joint Coordination Team is operational, pilot sites have been identified, and a detailed implementation and monitoring framework is in place,” announces the CS.
Duale also acknowledged two major developments: the commissioning of Terumo’s expanded Africa headquarters and the opening of the Terumo Africa Training Centre in Nairobi.
The CS explained that the centre will serve as a regional hub for safe and efficient blood transfusion practices, capacity-building in transfusion medicine and blood component management, and continuous professional development.
He highlighted Terumo’s long-standing contributions to emergency preparedness and health-system resilience, including the deployment of five REVEOS automated blood-processing centrifuge machines to the Nairobi and Eldoret Regional Blood Transfusion Centres, as well as continued collaboration in cardiovascular care and other priority areas.
Duale reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working with local and global partners to strengthen healthcare delivery under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.
The CS was accompanied by the Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Ms Mary Muthoni, and the Director of the Kenya National Blood Transfusion and Transplant Service (KBTTS), Dr Martin Sirengo, among other Ministry officials.
By Michael Omondi
