Kenya Seeks Private Investments for Digital Health Growth, Transformation
- The Kenyan government is calling for urgent private sector investment to accelerate digital transformation in healthcare
- Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health Mary Muthoni said the focus lies on strengthening primary care and achieving Universal Health Coverage
- The revelation came during the AMREF Health Africa and WHX reaffirm event held in Nairobi, bringing together health experts and stakeholders
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Nairobi, Kenya – Kenya is calling on the private sector to step up and drive the next phase of its digital health transformation as the country cements its position as a regional hub for healthcare innovation in East Africa.
Source: Twitter
Speaking at a high-level WHX networking event held in Nairobi, government officials, health NGOs, and private sector leaders emphasised the urgency of collaboration and investment to scale digital health solutions and address gaps left by declining donor funding.
Why Kenya seeks private funding for digital health
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health Mary Muthoni noted a decline in overseas development funding, saying it is time for the private sector to step in as both investors and innovation partners.
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“The future of universal healthcare depends on how well we collaborate across sectors, especially in the face of challenges like climate change,” said Muthoni.
The event spotlighted the Digital Health Triangle, a framework that connects three major forces shaping healthcare in the region.
These are the push for Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the strengthening of primary care systems, and rapid advances in health technology.
Muthoni explained that Kenya is leading the transformation, driven by policy reforms, digital infrastructure, and strong public-private partnerships.
“We are looking up to the private sector to support digital transformation at the community level. It is essential to accelerate digitisation in primary healthcare as the private sector has both the agility and creativity needed to drive practical, technology-based decisions forward,” the CS added.
She revealed Kenya’s strategy, including mobile health platforms, AI-powered diagnostics, and digital patient records to close the urban-rural healthcare divide.
Muthoni said the country’s approach is not to import ready-made high-tech solutions but to build technology around local needs, communities, and health systems.
Source: UGC
Corazon Aquino, acting global director for partnerships and external engagement, AMREF Health Africa, which delivers health services to more than 30 million people, reaffirmed the firm’s partnership with WHX.
“Our journey with WHX began in Kigali in 2023. For the past three years, we have built a partnership rooted in shared values around innovation and community-driven care,” said Aquino.
Aquino emphasised the importance of inclusive digital health, in partnership with WHX, which allows the organisation to engage deeply on themes like innovation in primary healthcare and inclusive digital solutions for underserved populations.
What to know about World Health Expo
Daniel Green, exhibition manager, WHX Africa Portfolio at Informa Markets, noted that WHX Nairobi and WHX Labs offer “unique, high-value opportunities to unlock healthcare growth and partnerships across Africa.”
Tom Coleman, Portfolio director for Informa Markets, described the Digital Health Triangle as a playbook for transformation.
“Healthcare transformation in Africa boils down to three things: strong primary care systems, universal access without financial hardship, and digital innovation, which connects it all,” said Coleman.
The World Health Expo in Nairobi, brought together over 8,000 participants drawn from the government, private sector, and the international community.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
