Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has held talks with the newly appointed United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) Kenya Country Director, Dr Runa Gokhale, as Kenya and the United States prepare to transition into a new phase of their long-standing health partnership.
The introductory meeting focused on strengthening Kenya-US health cooperation and ensuring the continuity of essential public health services as the two countries move towards implementing a Government-to-Government Health Cooperation Framework.
The partnership, which has spanned more than four decades, has played a significant role in strengthening Kenya’s response to HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, while supporting investments in laboratories, disease surveillance, epidemiology, health data systems, emergency preparedness and response, as well as the health workforce.
Duale and Gokhale discussed the transition to the new cooperation framework, which is expected to place greater emphasis on strengthening Kenya’s national health institutions and promoting country-led delivery of health programmes.
The framework is also intended to safeguard uninterrupted access to essential public health services as Kenya assumes greater leadership in the management and delivery of health programmes supported through the bilateral partnership.
The meeting comes as Kenya continues to strengthen its health systems and build national capacity to respond to infectious diseases and other public health emergencies.
The Health Ministry said the discussions reaffirmed the importance of sustained collaboration between Kenya and the United States in addressing public health priorities while strengthening the country’s ability to independently manage critical health programmes and systems.
Also present during the meeting were Director for Family Health Dr Bashir Issak, Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council Chief Executive Officer Dr David Kariuki, and Head of the National AIDS and STI Control Programme Dr Andrew Mulwa.
The engagement marks an important step in shaping the next phase of Kenya-US health cooperation, with both sides expected to continue working together to strengthen national institutions and protect access to critical health services.
