Kenya has signed a framework agreement with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to establish the Eastern Africa Regional Coordinating Centre in Nairobi, positioning the country as a key hub for regional health security.
The agreement was presided over by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, who said the Centre will serve 14 Member States and strengthen coordination, preparedness, and response to public health emergencies across Eastern Africa.
The signing took place during the inauguration of the High-Level African Health Leadership Ministerial Committee (AHLMC), co-chaired by Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya, on the sidelines of the World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2026 in Nairobi.
Established in early 2026 under the African Union, the AHLMC is expected to drive reforms aimed at building resilient and equitable health systems, reducing reliance on external financing, and accelerating investment in sustainable health infrastructure across the continent.
The development signals a growing shift by African countries towards greater ownership of health solutions, including strengthening Africa CDC’s role in continental health security, advancing the operationalisation of the African Medicines Agency, and scaling up local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Kenya continues to advance its Universal Health Coverage agenda through the Social Health Authority, with a focus on reducing out-of-pocket expenditure and improving access to essential health services.
The high-level session brought together senior leaders including Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muthoni, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf (virtually), Nigeria’s Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate, and Egypt’s Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, among other delegates.
