Health and Wellness
MoH launches Epuka Uchafu campaign in Kiambu to boost hygiene
PS Muthoni said the campaign is part of a wider government plan to reduce preventable illnesses through community-based public health actions.
Health and Wellness
Health and Wellness
Kenya faces rising cancer crisis unless prevention becomes priority says Oncologist Omar
Kenya faces a rising cancer burden, with up to 47,000 new cases and 32,500 deaths yearly. Experts urge prevention, early detection and sustainable financing to protect families and the health system.
Health and Wellness
WHO urges fresh push to eliminate neglected tropical diseases by 2030
Over the past decade, countries have made steady progress in tackling the diseases. By early 2026, a total of 58 countries had eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease, moving closer to WHO’s global goal of 100 countries achieving elimination by 2030.
Health and Wellness
Oncologist: Decentralised cancer care is progress but not enough
Kenya is expanding cancer care beyond Nairobi with new regional centres, but experts warn specialist shortages, costly radiotherapy and rising cases still strain the health system nationwide.
Health and Wellness
Sh11 billion lost to hospital fraud under SHA, reveals CS Duale
Audits showed that some hospitals reported impossible numbers. In one case in Tharaka Nithi, a private hospital claimed all 500 deliveries were C-sections, a scenario automatically rejected by the SHA system.
Health and Wellness
UHC staff to get permanent employment from July 2026 - CS Duale
The development follows a meeting of UHC personnel at Afya House on Tuesday, where workers pressed authorities to fulfil long-standing commitments. For six years, UHC employees have faced repeated contract adjustments, delayed payments, and disputes over responsibilities between the national and county governments.
Health and Wellness
Duale: Hospitals must pass verification before receiving funds
Speaking in Garissa town during a graduation ceremony at Madarasa Munawar on Sunday, where he was the chief guest, Duale dismissed claims that the government was dragging its feet in settling hospital bills.
Health and Wellness
CS Duale defends SHA appointments, promises review of recruitment process
Public debate erupted after data showed that a large share of SHA County Operations Managers came from only two communities. Out of 47 officials deployed to counties, 22 were drawn from those two groups, with the rest of the positions going to other communities.
Health and Wellness
Cervical cancer killing half of diagnosed women in Kenya, says MoH
The Public Health PS said Kenya is aligning with the World Health Organization goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030. The global target is to have 90 percent of girls aged 10 to 14 vaccinated against HPV, 70 percent of women aged 25 to 49 screened, and 90 percent of those diagnosed treated.
Health and Wellness
Inside Kenya’s digital health shift and what it means for patients
Speaking in an interview on Radio Generation, Muthoni said community health promoters—once burdened with heavy paper registers—are now fully digitised and legally entrenched as the foundation of the health system.
Health and Wellness
Police and prisons officers set for SHA coverage from April 2026
Duale spoke during a strategic engagement forum held in Bomet County that drew participation from unions, private health providers, faith-based organisations and development partners. The meeting was co-chaired by Bomet Governor Hillary Barchock.
Health and Wellness
SHA explains oncology pre-authorization process amid approval concerns
SHA highlighted that patients have the freedom to choose any cancer facility contracted by SHA, and that the variation in approvals is a reflection of the system applying uniform benefit rules to differing clinical circumstances rather than any form of preferential treatment.
Health and Wellness
Public Health PS warns hospitals over illegal fees on free SHA services
PS Muthoni called for transparency through facility charters and vowed inspections to protect patients from exploitation amid Kenya’s rollout of universal health coverage.
Health and Wellness
Nairobi Hospital fined Sh500,000 over unauthorized patient footage
The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner found that a hospital employee secretly recorded the patient during treatment and later allowed the content to appear in advertising campaigns, violating the Data Protection Act.
Health and Wellness
Health Ministry forms special unit to tackle quack doctors
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the unit will operate alongside officials from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council to enforce proper medical standards nationwide.
Health and Wellness
Kenya faces deadly emergency medical failures, auditor warns
Hospitals, particularly Level 4 facilities, offer little relief. Only nine per cent of these hospitals have dedicated accident and emergency departments, and none of them provide separate paediatric care. Thirty out of 33 Level 4 hospitals sampled, including facilities in Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, Mombasa, and Machakos, had no proper A&E departments.
Health and Wellness
Nurses issue seven-day strike notice over stalled 2017 CBA
In the notice, union Secretary General Seth Panyako said nurses have endured years of unmet promises despite continuous talks with government agencies and repeated assurances that the agreement would be honoured.
Health and Wellness
MTRH clinical officers resume work after deal with management
The strike, which started on December 23, 2025, was formally called off on Friday afternoon after prolonged discussions between the hospital leadership and representatives of the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers.
Health and Wellness
Kemsa cleared to buy Sh2.8bn HIV/Aids drugs after procurement dispute
Kemsa had awarded the $22 million (Sh2.84 billion) contract for adult ARVs to Indian firm Hetero Labs Ltd after it emerged as the lowest evaluated responsive bidder at $7.29 per pack.
Health and Wellness
Nairobi County moves to end health workers’ strike as reforms take effect
In a statement issued on Thursday, County Executive Committee Member for Health, Wellness and Nutrition Suzanne Silantoi said the county has been in continuous talks with health sector unions while implementing reforms aimed at improving conditions for healthcare staff.
Health and Wellness
Kenya reduces medicine import costs as cheaper drugs gain ground
From January to September 2025, spending on medicinal and pharmaceutical products totaled Sh62.1 billion, down from Sh79.6 billion over the same period in 2024, a reduction of Sh17.5 billion, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
Health and Wellness
Health Ministry urges caution in extreme tree-hugging challenges
On Thursday, Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni emphasised that anyone planning intense physical activity must be physically fit and medically cleared. She said that combining fasting with demanding challenges without proper health checks can have dangerous outcomes.
Health and Wellness
Nairobi doctors maintain strike as patients face long delays
Members of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) argue that promises made in earlier return-to-work agreements remain unfulfilled, with many health workers yet to receive their salaries or insurance cover for the start of the year.
Health and Wellness
WHO warns aid cuts threaten health systems, urges higher health taxes
Speaking during WHO’s first media briefing of 2026, Tedros urged governments to urgently strengthen domestic health financing, highlighting health taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks as a proven and sustainable solution.
Health and Wellness
KMPDC closes down 4 unregistered dental hospitals after harmful procedure
KMPDC urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspected unlicensed practitioners, illegal facilities or repeated cases of adverse patient outcomes to support effective regulation and public safety.
Health and Wellness
Kenya moves to register twice-yearly HIV prevention injection
Lenacapavir, available as 300 mg tablets and a 464 mg injectable solution, works by disrupting key stages of the HIV lifecycle, preventing the virus from establishing infection.
Health and Wellness
Over 200 foreign doctors lose licences as Kenya prioritises local medical professionals
Since the start of the January licence renewal period, Duale said he has personally denied more than 200 applications from foreign doctors. Some of these practitioners had previously been prohibited from practising in their home countries, which he said made Kenya a soft landing for discredited or unqualified medical personnel.
Health and Wellness
Kenya’s reproductive health programmes at risk after US pullout
In Kenya, UNFPA supports programmes that include contraceptive distribution, antenatal care, prevention of HIV among adolescents, initiatives to reduce unsafe abortions, and campaigns to lower teenage pregnancies.
Business
Sh2bn premium threshold set for insurers offering visitor health cover
Insurers are expected to list at least five major clients, each with annual premiums of Sh100 million in the last financial year. The framework applies to visitors staying in Kenya for less than a year, who must have active medical insurance as mandated by the Social Health Insurance Act of 2023.
Health and Wellness
Murang’a to receive Sh47million from SHA, with Sh160m pending
Murang’a County had been pursuing Sh327 million in outstanding reimbursements, with SHA acknowledging Sh207 million as owed. From the meeting, it emerged that SHA will immediately release Sh47 million by January 14, while the remaining balance will be settled in phases.