In a quiet but significant meeting on Monday morning, Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale sat down with Japanese Ambassador Matsuura Hiroshi at Afya House. They shared concerns and shared hopes for the future of healthcare in Kenya.
With the clock ticking towards the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) set for August 2025, both sides are keen to align their priorities under this year’s theme: “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa.”
“It’s not just about technology or aid anymore,” one senior official in the room later remarked. “It’s about working side-by-side on real solutions that can last.”
Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has been one of the sturdiest health partners quietly for Kenya. Whether it has been outfitting hospitals or financing maternal and child health programs in rural counties, their effect has not been lost on anyone.
Duale took a moment during the meeting to thank the Japanese government for their sustained support particularly under the TaifaCare program that aims to introduce affordable healthcare to the entirety of Kenya.
But there is more to be done.
Duale proposed closer collaboration on what most Kenyans never hear abouttechnical support for health policy development, joint research into new medical technology, and investment in infrastructure that is resilient to both pandemics and climate change.
“Health isn’t just a department issue. It’s the backbone of development,” Duale said after the meeting, flanked by PS Dr. Ouma Oluga and Director General Dr. Patrick Amoth.
Ambassador Hiroshi, himself no stranger to Kenya’s development communities, echoed those words. He reconfirmed Japan’s commitment to support Kenya’s vision not in words, but in action.
The meeting itself took perhaps a bit less than an hour, but for the health officials in the room, it was a chance to recast Kenya’s relationship with international health partnerships not as beneficiaries of aid, but as partners in building resilient systems that work for the people.
