Kenya is set to become a regional hub for vaccine and pharmaceutical production following a landmark partnership with China. The USD 500 million (Ksh 64.7 billion) initiative aims to strengthen Kenya’s health manufacturing capacity and reduce dependency on imported medical products by 2028.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the agreement on Monday after high-level talks with a Chinese delegation led by Ambassador Guo Haiyan. The partnership will see the establishment of local production hubs designed to boost Kenya’s supply chains, enhance public health resilience, and create new employment opportunities.
“This collaboration positions Kenya to lead Africa in health product manufacturing while supporting our national agenda for job creation and economic growth,” said Duale.
As part of the agreement, China will provide 500 scholarships and sponsor 20 annual health exchange programs to nurture Kenya’s next generation of healthcare professionals. The move is seen as a strategic investment in long-term leadership and innovation in the country’s health sector.
Duale also called for China’s support in helping Kenya shift from donor-dependency to a co-investment model in healthcare innovation. He highlighted ongoing reforms such as the rollout of the Social Health Authority (SHA) and proposed the formation of a Kenya–China Health Cooperation Taskforce to accelerate implementation and ensure coordination.
The CS praised China’s broader contributions to Kenya’s health sector, notably through companies like Huawei, which has digitized rural health facilities and trained thousands of healthcare workers.
Duale was joined at the meeting by Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni and Director-General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, signaling high-level commitment to the transformative project.
Written By Rodney Mbua
