Kenya, Sweden Deepen Health Partnership in Talks on UHC, Cancer Care and Digital Health Reforms
Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon. Aden Duale and the Sweden’s Ambassador H.E. Håkan Åkesson. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
Cabinet Secretary for Health Aden Duale has held bilateral talks with Sweden’s Ambassador to Kenya Håkan Åkesson, focusing on strengthening cooperation to support ongoing reforms in Kenya’s health sector.
The discussions centered on key priority areas including health financing, cancer prevention and treatment, digital health systems, and workforce development, all aligned with Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.
According to the Ministry of Health, the engagement builds on an existing partnership between Kenya and Sweden that has evolved since the first political consultations held in 2025. The next round of consultations is expected to take place in Kenya in 2026 to further deepen structured cooperation.
Duale emphasized the need to accelerate implementation of joint initiatives, particularly those aimed at improving specialised healthcare services.
The talks also reviewed progress on a Swedfund-supported health grant targeting the expansion of cancer care services, alongside broader collaboration in social health insurance reforms and capacity building for health professionals and students.
Further discussions explored investment opportunities in local pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing, as well as enhanced cooperation in digital health innovation and climate-resilient health infrastructure.
The Ministry noted that the engagement comes at a time when Kenya is intensifying domestic health reforms, with more than 30.5 million citizens now registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA).
The government is also expanding the use of digital systems to improve service delivery, integrate health data, and strengthen accountability as part of efforts to build a more inclusive and sustainable Universal Health Coverage framework.
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