President William Ruto who is in Atlanta, Georgia on Monday witnessed the signing of crucial agreements marking a significant step towards improving healthcare in Kenya.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was inked between the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) the Ministry of Health and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in developing a sustainability Roadmap for Kenya’s HIV Programme.
The agreements that will accelerate the Kenyan government’s efforts to achieve Universal Healthcare include the joint proclamation for the operationalisation of the Kenya National Public Health Institute.
During the visit to the CDC Headquarters in Atlanta, President Ruto who is accompanied by Health CS Susan Nakhumicha shared thoughts of transforming the US-Kenya health cooperation focusing on plans to enhance collaboration and the expansion of local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
He hailed the US government as a key ally in Kenya’s healthcare advancement.
“The United States of America has been Kenya’s true ally in healthcare from infrastructure, pioneering research to the tackling of infectious diseases. We intend to escalate this journey of partnership, including the local manufacturing of vaccines, for the prosperity of all” he said.
US CDC has supported Kenya’s Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) to conduct sentinel surveillance for acute febrile illnesses, among other key areas.
It has also supported Kenya, local and international partners in efforts to strengthen the prevention and control of HIV and TB besides providing technical and financial support through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
“This visit would not have come at a better time than now when the world is negotiating amendments to the International Health Regulations of 2005 and the New Pandemic Treaty to build consensus on how to coordinate prevention, detection and response to infectious disease threats that know no boundary,” said CS Nakhumicha.
The First Lady welcomed the health partnership. ” The preventive component of primary healthcare will greatly benefit women and children at the grassroots level, supporting household prosperity by reducing costs associated with curative healthcare”.
