NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 27 — 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, cementing its role as a strategic hub for regional health security and emergency response.
The agreement, presided over by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, will see the Centre serve 14 member states, strengthening coordination, preparedness and response to public health threats across the region.
Duale said the facility will enhance surveillance systems, streamline information sharing, and improve rapid response capabilities in a region increasingly exposed to cross-border health risks.
“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,” Health Ministry said Monday.
Formed earlier this year under the African Union, the AHLMC is expected to spearhead reforms aimed at building resilient and equitable health systems, reducing dependence on external financing, and accelerating investments in sustainable health infrastructure across Africa.
The Nairobi-based coordinating centre is part of a broader shift by African countries toward greater ownership of health solutions, with governments seeking to strengthen the role of Africa CDC in continental health security, fast-track the operationalisation of the African Medicines Agency, and expand local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity.
Kenya’s selection as host underscores its growing influence in regional health diplomacy, as it continues to roll out its Universal Health Coverage agenda through the Social Health Authority, targeting reduced out-of-pocket costs and expanded access to essential services.
The high-level session drew senior policymakers and global health leaders, including Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muthoni and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, alongside ministers from across the continent.
Also in attendance were Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, who joined virtually, Nigeria’s Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate, and Egypt’s Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar.
