Kenya has signed a new healthcare cooperation agreement with Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TTC), strengthening bilateral ties with Japan and advancing reforms under the country’s health agenda.
The deal was sealed on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), where President William Ruto and Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale led discussions with TTC executives on enhancing Kenya’s healthcare system.
Talks centered on three key areas: social insurance, where Kenya will draw lessons from Japan’s model to inform healthcare financing policies; clinical methodology and surgery, enabling Kenyan doctors to observe advanced surgical procedures in TTC facilities; and rehabilitation services, with Kenyan specialists gaining exposure to TTC’s neuro rehabilitation programs to strengthen local expertise.
The discussions culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CS Duale and TTC President & CEO Toshimitsu Imai.
The MoU provides a framework for long-term cooperation, focusing on skills transfer, system optimization, and sustainable healthcare financing.
The partnership directly supports Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which prioritizes Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through strategic public-private partnerships.
President Ruto welcomed the agreement, praising Japan’s continued role as a development partner and highlighting the importance of technology and innovation in achieving UHC.
The meeting was also attended by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Public Health PS Mary Muthoni, and DG Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, reflecting high-level government support.
