Kenya is intensifying efforts to expand local health manufacturing through strategic global partnerships, as highlighted during the TICAD9 Business Expo in Yokohama, Japan. Strengthening local production is seen as a critical step toward achieving sustainable healthcare solutions and advancing the country’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.
During the expo, senior health officials engaged with key global manufacturers in the pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors, underlining the importance of collaboration in building resilient healthcare systems. The focus was on technology transfer, research partnerships, and investment opportunities that can accelerate Kenya’s ambition to become a regional hub for health innovation.
Kenya is already home to pioneering companies such as Revital Healthcare Ltd, which has made notable progress in the production of medical supplies including syringes and rapid diagnostic kits. By aligning with international corporations like Symex and Eiken Chemical, Kenya seeks to scale up manufacturing capacity while ensuring the affordability and accessibility of essential health commodities.
The discussions underscored that local manufacturing is not just about reducing dependency on imports but also about stimulating the economy, creating jobs, and ensuring supply chain security, especially during global health emergencies. Building domestic capacity in diagnostics, vaccines, and essential medicines will allow the country to respond more effectively to both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Technology transfer remains at the heart of these partnerships, enabling Kenyan manufacturers to adopt cutting-edge innovations while tailoring them to local needs. Investment in training and capacity building was also highlighted as a way to nurture a skilled workforce capable of driving the growth of the health sector.
Kenya’s strategy aligns with continental aspirations to increase Africa’s share of global health manufacturing. With growing demand for quality medical products across the region, Kenya is positioning itself as a competitive production base that can serve not only its domestic market but also neighboring countries.
Through these partnerships, Kenya aims to strike a balance between innovation, affordability, and accessibility. The ultimate goal is to build a self-sufficient health system capable of supporting UHC, reducing disease burdens, and contributing to the continent’s collective health security
