Kenya and Morocco have deepened their bilateral cooperation through a groundbreaking health partnership aimed at restoring hearing to children with hearing impairments.
First Lady Rachel Ruto and Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmaa of Morocco jointly launched the Cochlear Hearing Implant Partnership at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), marking a significant step toward inclusive healthcare and child welfare.
The two leaders presided over the country’s first-ever cochlear implant surgeries, visiting some of the young beneficiaries at KNH. Each implant, valued at approximately KSh 4 million, will benefit children aged between one and ten years.
First Lady Rachel Ruto said the initiative aligns with the government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda under the Social Health Authority, emphasizing the need to ensure that no child is left behind due to health challenges.
In a speech delivered on her behalf, Princess Lalla Asmaa reaffirmed her foundation’s long-standing mission to promote dignity and inclusion for children with hearing impairments across Africa.
During the event, the Voice of Children Initiative, under the Office of the First Lady, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Princess Lalla Asmaa Foundation to strengthen collaboration in hearing care and child development programs.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale hailed the partnership as a milestone in Kenya’s healthcare delivery, noting that it will expand access to specialized hearing care services nationwide.
Through the initiative, 100 children are set to benefit from life-changing cochlear implant surgeries — 70 in Nairobi this week and 30 more in Morocco next February.
For many parents, the partnership represents renewed hope that their children will not only regain their hearing but also live full, inclusive, and empowered lives.
