The Ministries of Health and Education have launched a joint task force to review and reform health training programmes to better match Kenya’s national priorities and workforce needs.
The initiative follows a high-level strategic meeting chaired by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, with the aim of strengthening human resources in line with the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.
The task force will examine existing health training courses, recommend immediate reforms, and create a detailed implementation roadmap with clear milestones.
Its mandate is to ensure that Kenya produces a skilled and competent health workforce capable of delivering quality care across the country.
“This initiative marks a significant step towards aligning training outputs with national healthcare demands,” Duale said, emphasizing the shared responsibility between the health and education sectors in expanding and sustaining quality health services.
He also highlighted that the effort supports the constitutional right to the highest attainable standard of health under Article 43(1)(a).
The discussions considered ongoing reforms in the health sector, including the Digital Superhighway initiative designed to integrate health services nationwide, improve service delivery, and tackle the persistent issue of unqualified medical practitioners.
Participants also explored strategies to support training institutions in designing programmes responsive to Kenya’s disease burden and health service priorities.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba underscored the importance of harmonized, competency-based training, noting, “Our commitment is to strengthen the linkage between education systems and population health needs, ensuring that every Kenyan benefits from quality healthcare.”
Key officials at the meeting included Principal Secretaries Mary Muthoni (Public Health and Professional Standards) and Beatrice Muganda (Higher Education and Research), Director-General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, and technical heads from both Ministries, reflecting the government’s focus on a collaborative approach.
The task force’s work is aligned with the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which prioritizes equitable healthcare delivery and the accelerated nationwide implementation of UHC.
By mapping health training programmes against national priorities, the initiative seeks to create a sustainable and well-equipped health workforce capable of meeting the evolving needs of Kenya’s population.
This coordinated approach highlights human resources as a critical backbone of health sector expansion, ensuring reforms are practical, strategic, and capable of improving healthcare delivery across the country.
