Kenya has taken a major step toward strengthening regional collaboration in health with a high-level meeting today between the Ministry of Health and a delegation from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Secretariat.
The discussions, led by the Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Dr. Ouma Oluga, focused on strategic partnerships in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH), and the advancement of domestic health financing frameworks.
The IGAD delegation included Dr. Ahmed Hassan, Senior Programme Coordinator; Mr. Tesfaye Mesele, Health Financing Expert; and Ms. Sharon Kuku, Information and Communication Officer.
Key items on the agenda included the Africa Demographic Dividend and Sexual and Reproductive Health Program, which is supported by AUDA-NEPAD, and the establishment of a Regional Health Financing Hub (RHFH) within the IGAD Secretariat.
The proposed RHFH is envisioned as a central platform to help IGAD member states mobilize domestic resources, improve RMNCAH service delivery, and ensure alignment with continental frameworks such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Also present at the meeting were Dr. Isaak Bashir, Head of the Directorate of Family Health; Dr. Edward Serem, Head of the RMNCAH Division; and Dr. Christine Wambugu, Head of the Adolescent Health Section.
The group expressed commitment to closer intergovernmental cooperation and harmonized efforts to address pressing health challenges across the region.
