Health Cabinet Secretary Hon Aden Duale today inaugurated the state-of-the-art expanded Polio Laboratory at the Centre for Virus Research (CVR), KEMRI — a key milestone in advancing Kenya’s Taifa Care Model and compliance with the International Health Regulations (IHR).
Serving as both the National and Inter-country Reference Laboratory, the facility will support Kenya and neighbouring countries — Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Comoros — in polio diagnostics and surveillance.
It will also enhance in-country genomic sequencing and reduce turnaround times for outbreak detection.
Backed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the Gates Foundation, eHealth Africa, Ministry of Health, and other development partners, the lab aligns with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) for Health by expanding access to essential services, especially at the grassroots.
Though anchored in polio eradication, the lab is already functioning as a multi-pathogen genomic platform, sequencing Mpox, measles, rubella, and enteric viruses — boosting preparedness against future health threats.
Today’s inauguration reaffirms Kenya’s commitment to finish the fight against polio while building stronger, resilient health systems under Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The CS was hosted by Dr. Elijah Songok (Ag. DG, KEMRI) and Dr. Abdullahi Ali (Chairperson, KEMRI Board) and joined by PS Dr. Ouma Oluga, DG Dr. Patrick Amoth, and Dr. Abdourahmane Diallo (Outgoing WHO Country Director).
