Strategic Health Agreements, Pandemic Preparedness, and Vaccine Equity
In 2025, Kenya is actively engaged in multiple strategic agreements and collaborations with the World Health Organization (WHO) aimed at strengthening its health systems, pandemic preparedness, and access to medical technologies. These partnerships reflect Kenya’s commitment to global health equity and its leadership role within the African Region.
1. WHO Pandemic Agreement: Kenya’s Role and Commitments
Treaty Overview
- On May 21, 2025, Kenya joined 124 countries in adopting the main text of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, a legally binding treaty designed to prevent and respond to future pandemics.
- The treaty introduces the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, ensuring countries that share virus samples receive fair access to resulting vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments.
Kenya’s Position
- Health CS Aden Duale stated: “This agreement will ensure that our children and their children are better prepared for future public health emergencies.”
- Kenya was part of the original group advocating for the treaty in 2021 and continues to push for equitable benefit-sharing and technology transfer.
Key Provisions
- Fair access to vaccines and medicines
- Stockpile sharing to prevent hoarding
- Public involvement in health decision-making
- Voluntary technology sharing encouraged under Article 11
2. WHO–Kenya Health Systems Support (2024–2025)
Strategic Focus Areas
According to WHO’s Midterm Results Report for Kenya, current support includes:
- Universal Health Coverage (UHC): Technical assistance for SHA rollout and health financing reforms
- Emergency Preparedness: Strengthening operational readiness and early warning systems
- Laboratory Systems: Genomic sequencing capacity and external quality assessments
- Access to Medicines: Regulatory benchmarking and pooled procurement coordination
- Health Workforce Development: Training and deployment strategies for underserved areas
Financial Snapshot
| WHO Output Area | Planned Cost (USD) | Utilization Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Access to Health Services | $108.5M | 48.6% |
| Emergency Preparedness | $48.2M | 37.2% |
| Health Information Systems | $23.2M | 41.7% |
| Antimicrobial Resistance | $13.7M | 36.2% |
| Health & Care Workforce | $21.4M | 32.7% |
3. WHO–Kenya Vaccine Equity and Manufacturing Support
Biovax & mRNA Technology Transfer
- Kenya’s Biovax Institute is one of 15 global partners selected by WHO and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) for mRNA vaccine technology transfer.
- WHO is supporting Kenya’s infrastructure readiness, workforce training, and regulatory alignment for local vaccine production.
Cold Chain Expansion
- In May 2025, WHO and UNICEF supported Kenya’s rollout of 2,000 cold chain units to strengthen vaccine delivery in remote areas.
4. WHO General Programme of Work (GPW14): Kenya’s Endorsement
- At the 77th World Health Assembly, Kenya endorsed the GPW14 (2025–2028), which emphasizes:
- Primary health care
- Predictable and flexible financing
- Equity in resource distribution
- Kenya aligned its statement with the African Region bloc and called for stronger support for national priorities.
Final Thoughts
Kenya’s collaboration with WHO in 2025 is multifaceted—spanning treaty negotiations, health system strengthening, vaccine equity, and regional leadership. These agreements not only position Kenya as a proactive global health partner but also lay the groundwork for resilient, inclusive, and self-sustaining healthcare delivery.
