… Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga went even further, telling the public that Kenya has "the highest isolation capacity" on the continent, and that KEMRI is "the fourth most prepared laboratory in the entire world." KEMRI itself backed that position, with officials c …
… #BudgetDay2026 pic.twitter.com/uaNSYvTwOA — KTN News (@KTNNewsKE) June 11, 2026 The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) has been allocated Sh20.9 billion to improve the supply and distribution of essential medicines and health commodities.The Kenya Medical Research Institute …
… So far, the country has four national laboratories for Ebola testing: the National Public Health Laboratory, Kenya Medical Research Institute in Nairobi and Kisumu, and a mobile laboratory deployed at the Busia One-Stop Border Post“The Ministry has also identified 25 high-risk co …
… ity to protect both Kenyans and non-Kenyans within our borders or transiting through our country," he said.PS Oluga said Kenya currently has no private facility capable of conducting Ebola tests and that only government laboratories, including the Kenya Medical Research Institute …
… He cited decades of US support for Kenya’s health sector, including HIV/AIDS programmes, Ebola preparedness and Covid-19 vaccine research involving the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). …
… Duale added that institutions such as the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) have benefited significantly from international partnerships, helping Kenya build some of the region's strongest laboratory and disease surveillance systems. …
… g preparedness and response systems before a crisis emerges, not after it has already taken hold.” Duale reiterated that the government that there is a mobile laboratory for deployment where necessary, the National Public Health Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute …
… The PS also cited the country's laboratory capacity as a key strength, describing the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) as one of the world's leading infectious disease research and testing facilities. …
A five-year project in Kenya is testing whether selected community pharmacies can provide contraceptive counselling, method choice and reproductive health services alongside dispensing, aiming to bridge the gap between simple commodity sales and quality family planning care. The Strengthening Pharmacy Provision of Contraceptives in Kenya Market Test project, implemented by inSupply Health with the Ministry of Health and partner organisations, began in 2021 to assess whether the expanded model works for both clients and businesses.
A five-year project in Kenya is testing whether selected community pharmacies can provide contraceptive counselling, method choice and reproductive health services alongside dispensing, aiming to bridge the gap between simple commodity sales and quality family planning care. The Strengthening Pharmacy Provision of Contraceptives in Kenya Market Test project, implemented by inSupply Health with the Ministry of Health and partner organisations, began in 2021 to assess whether the expanded model works for both clients and businesses.
Siaya County, which recorded some of the highest child mortality rates in the country at 63 deaths per 1,000 live births, is seeing improvement through the establishment of newborn units at hospitals in Siaya and Bondo over the past three years. A 2024 KEMRI survey found that inadequate health infrastructure accounted for nearly half of preventable deaths among premature babies.
Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company will shut down the Sasumua Water Treatment Plant from 6am Friday to 8am Saturday, September 12, for emergency repairs along the Sasumua-Kabete pipeline. The shutdown will affect water supply across large parts of Nairobi, including residential estates, hospitals, learning institutions, the CBD, and parts of the airport corridor.
The Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company will shut down the Sasumua Water Treatment Plant on September 11–12 for emergency repairs on the Sasumua–Kabete pipeline, affecting water supply in Dagoretti, Westlands, Starehe, Kibra and Lang'ata constituencies. The company advises customers to store adequate water in advance.
Health officials in Lamu are concerned about a rising trend of Hepatitis B cases in the county. Recent screening has identified positive cases among fishermen, seamen, and healthcare workers, with patients attributing transmission to unprotected sex and occupational exposure.
Scientists reporting a spike in Hepatitis B infections in Lamu County are puzzled by the finding, as the region has been dominated by Hepatitis C infections, with at least three out of 10 people infected with Hepatitis C. The discovery was made during mass screening by the National AIDS and STI Control Programme and Kenya Medical Research Institute.
Lamu County is recording a high burden of Hepatitis C among people aged 40–70, linked to injection drug use through shared needles. NASCOP estimates Lamu has about 29 per cent Hepatitis C prevalence, among the highest in the country.
The Pharmacy and Poisons Board has called for stronger quality assurance, safety monitoring and scientific research to ensure traditional medicines used in Kenya are safe, effective and of consistent quality, emphasizing accurate dosing, standardised production and clear product labelling.
Kenya has set 2028 as the target to integrate evidence-based traditional medicine into the mainstream healthcare system, with Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale stating the government will not create a parallel system but bring traditional, complementary, and modern medicine together under one healthcare framework, provided traditional practices meet safety, quality, and effectiveness standards. The integration will be guided by the National Traditional Complementary Intervention Medicine Policy, which the Ministry of Health is finalizing and will present to Cabinet for approval after nationwide public participation.
Kenya's medical research and disease surveillance is expected to improve through increased access to dry ice and specialised cold-chain services, which are critical for keeping biological samples at required temperatures during collection and transportation to laboratories. KEMRI notes that gaps in cold-chain facilities outside Nairobi can compromise sample integrity, particularly during disease outbreaks and for regional diagnostics work.
Kenya's Ministry of Health has announced a Health Sector El Niño Contingency Plan for the 2026/2027 season to mitigate health risks from anticipated heavy rains, flooding and displacement. The plan brings together national and county governments, emergency agencies, humanitarian organisations and development partners to prevent and respond to flood-related health emergencies, particularly water- and food-borne diseases.
The British High Commissioner to Kenya said Africa's bioeconomy is held back not by a shortage of scientific ideas but by failure to turn research into investable businesses. He noted that African countries lack the financing pipelines, industry links and institutional systems needed to move discoveries from laboratories into commercial products and jobs.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has called for Kenya and the UK to prioritize education, research and skills development in their healthcare partnership, emphasizing that well-trained healthcare professionals are essential for universal health coverage. The Kenya-UK Health Alliance, launched in 2021, has attracted over £116 million in research and training investments and enabled more than 280 Kenyan nurses to qualify.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has called for education, research and skills development to be the cornerstone of the Kenya-UK health partnership, arguing that universal health coverage depends on a highly skilled healthcare workforce. Since its 2021 establishment, the Kenya-UK Health Alliance has attracted more than £116 million in research and capacity-building investments and trained over 280 Kenyan nurses to international standards.
Scientists and health experts say hepatitis B has remained a silent epidemic in Kenya because many people living with it remain undiagnosed, citing stigma, inadequate diagnostic capacity, low public awareness and chronic underfunding as barriers. Hepatitis B and C are the biggest public health concern because they are transmitted similarly to HIV, including from mother to child, through unprotected sex and exposure to infected blood.
President William Ruto assured Kenya of peaceful elections in 2027, saying his administration will deal firmly with goonism. He linked increased goon attacks at political events to leniency shown during 2024 Gen Z protests, stating that protesters "have now graduated to goons."
A 10-year succession dispute over the estate of late former Nominated MP Mark Too has been settled by court-approved agreement at the High Court in Eldoret. The settlement recognizes his daughter Chepkoech Too as a beneficiary and awards her 200 acres of agricultural land in Uasin Gishu County and Sh15 million in compensation.
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has questioned KEMRI's prolonged delay in appointing a substantive Director General, noting the institution has operated under acting leadership since 2022. He has formally sought a response from the Senate Committee on Health, arguing that stable leadership is essential for an institution charged with safeguarding public health and advancing medical research.
A criminal investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations into media reports disputing a man's HIV diagnosis has been withdrawn after the complainant chose forgiveness over legal action. The complaint, filed after publications in February 2026 questioned the man's HIV treatment history and claims of testing negative following a religious gathering, prompted a DCI probe into his medical records and the accuracy of the reporting.
An American physician contracted Ebola while treating patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has been evacuated to the United States, reigniting debate in Kenya over a controversial government plan to establish an Ebola quarantine facility in Nanyuki. The U.S. has announced a Sh1.9 billion investment to strengthen Kenya's disease surveillance, laboratory testing, and border screening capabilities.
Kenya will receive Sh1.9 billion from the United States to strengthen readiness against Ebola Virus Disease in 22 high-risk counties through new laboratories, trained personnel, and emergency response centres. The funding covers disease surveillance, laboratory systems, healthcare worker training, emergency response coordination, risk communication, and screening at points of entry.
Health authorities at the Malaba border post have intensified screening protocols following an Ebola virus outbreak declaration in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The border screens and clears between 1,500 to 2,000 people daily, with one suspected case recorded since screening began.
Health authorities at the Malaba border post have intensified screening protocols following an Ebola outbreak declaration in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The border typically screens between 1,500 to 2,000 people daily, comprising approximately 800 international travellers and 700 locals, with one suspected case recorded so far.
Japan has committed KSh3 billion to support Kenya's local vaccine manufacturing programme, with the funding to be channelled through the State Department for Medical Services and KEMRI to strengthen research infrastructure and skills development.
Mercy Chepso and Kenneth Lagat were crowned champions at the inaugural KEMRI Cross Country Championships held at Eldoret Sports Club on Sunday, with Chepso winning the senior women's 10-kilometre race in 34:47.6 and Lagat claiming the senior men's race in 29:49.2. Organisers pledged to make the event an annual fixture aimed at promoting sports science, athlete health, and community engagement.
An Ebola quarantine facility planned at Laikipia Air Base has prompted health experts to assess Kenya's readiness to handle such outbreaks, with gaps identified in isolation infrastructure, laboratory capacity, workforce training, surveillance, and emergency logistics. Experts say the country has human resources expertise but requires better financing, research partnerships, technological integration, and responsive leadership, with some challenges requiring cultural and attitudinal shifts beyond technical solutions.
Kenya has recorded no confirmed Ebola cases despite heightened surveillance, according to the Public Health Principal Secretary. The government has tested about 90 samples, all negative, and intensified screening at major entry points including JKIA and six gazetted border crossings.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi presented Kenya's 4.8 trillion shilling national budget for 2026/27, with the largest allocation—784.5 billion shillings—going to education, alongside significant funding for security, health, agricultural transformation, and infrastructure to support the government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Kenya's Treasury has proposed a Sh177.2 billion allocation to the health sector in the 2026/27 financial year to accelerate Universal Health Coverage rollout and strengthen access to essential healthcare services. Major allocations include Sh19.1 billion for Primary Health Care Funds, Sh8.6 billion for UHC staff, Sh18.5 billion for disease prevention programmes, and Sh6.4 billion for vaccines and immunisation initiatives.