Kenya unveils strategy to boost local production of health products and strengthen health security

The Ministry of Health has launched the Kenya Health Products and Technologies (HPTs) Local Manufacturing Strategy 2026–2030, a five-year roadmap aimed at strengthening local production of health products and technologies, enhancing health security, promoting innovation, creating jobs, and improving access to essential health commodities.

Presiding over the launch, Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga said local manufacturing is critical to building a resilient health system and reducing reliance on imported health products.

He said strengthening domestic production will support sustainable healthcare financing, improve access to quality and affordable health commodities, and enhance the country’s preparedness against global supply chain disruptions.

Oluga said the strategy seeks to address barriers that have limited the growth of local manufacturing while creating an enabling environment for investment, innovation, and industrial expansion.

He emphasised the need to translate research and innovations from institutions such as KEMRI and KEPHIS into locally produced health products that respond to Kenya’s healthcare needs.

The Principal Secretary underscored the importance of market aggregation and demand assurance in supporting local manufacturers, noting that coordinated procurement mechanisms can help drive quality, consistency, affordability, and sustainability within the sector.

He urged government agencies, development partners, manufacturers, researchers, and investors to strengthen collaboration in implementing the strategy, noting that partnerships will be key to advancing Universal Health Coverage and supporting the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

The strategy is anchored on three key pillars: accelerating regulatory and policy reforms, scaling up and diversifying local manufacturing capacity, and strengthening demand generation and market assurance. It seeks to increase utilisation of local manufacturing capacity, enhance market access, and position Kenya as a regional hub for health products and technologies manufacturing.

Among those in attendance were Federation of Kenya Pharmaceutical Manufacturers chairperson Vimal Patel, UNICEF Chief of Health Luigi D’Aquino, PATH Kenya country director Carolyne Njuguna, representatives from AMREF, WHO, PPB, Biovax, senior Ministry of Health officials, industry players and development partners.