• According To the Ministry of Health, the task force will recommend reforms and design a roadmap to strengthen human resources for health across the country.

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education have established a joint task force to align existing health training programmes with national priorities. The move follows a high‑level strategic meeting convened at Afya House, Nairobi, on February 16, 2026.

Hosted by Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale and attended by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, the meeting focused on strengthening coordination between the two ministries to ensure Kenya’s health workforce is adequately prepared to meet evolving national healthcare demands.

 “The task force will map current training programmes against national health needs, recommend immediate reforms, and develop a clear implementation roadmap with defined milestones aimed at strengthening the country’s health workforce,” the Ministry of Health stated.

Anchoring Training in National Needs

According To the Ministry of Health, the task force will recommend reforms and design a roadmap to strengthen human resources for health across the country.

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The engagement emphasized the need to ensure Kenya’s training systems produce skilled professionals capable of delivering the constitutional right to the highest attainable standard of health under Article 43(1)(a).

This initiative marks a significant step toward aligning training outputs with the realities of disease burden, service delivery priorities, and population health needs.

Linking Education to UHC Reforms

Discussions highlighted ongoing health sector reforms under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda. Among the key initiatives referenced was the Digital Superhighway program, which seeks to integrate health services nationwide to enhance efficiency, improve access, and address persistent challenges such as unqualified medical practitioners.

Participants underscored the central role of human resources for health as the backbone of sector expansion and reform.

The Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Health, Aden Duale with CS for Education Julius Ogamba, together with Principal Secretaries Mary Muthoni (Public Health and Professional Standards) and Beatrice Muganda (Higher Education and Research), Director-General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth, and technical heads from both Ministries, during the strategic meeting. (Photo Credit: Ministry of Health/X )

The meeting explored sustainable strategies to support universities, medical training colleges, and other institutions in designing and delivering competency‑based programmes that reflect national priorities and international standards.

Both ministries reaffirmed their commitment to harmonised, responsive, and quality‑driven health education systems. The collaborative approach is expected to strengthen the linkage between education frameworks and healthcare service demands, ensuring graduates are well‑equipped for deployment within Kenya’s health system.

The initiative aligns with the Government’s Bottom‑Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which prioritises equitable healthcare delivery and accelerated nationwide implementation of UHC.

Principal Secretaries Mary Muthoni (Public Health and Professional Standards) and Beatrice Muganda (Higher Education and Research), Director‑General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, and technical heads from both ministries joined the Cabinet Secretaries, signalling a whole‑of‑government approach to reforming health education governance.

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