NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya is seeking to strengthen partnerships that will expand access to specialised reconstructive surgery for vulnerable children, as the government held talks with Italy-based humanitarian organisation Emergenza Sorrisi ETS currently on a surgical mission in Nairobi.
The Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, on Wednesday hosted a delegation from Emergenza Sorrisi ETS led by its president, Fabio Massimo, alongside the Principal Secretary for Higher Education, Beatrice Inyangala.
Emergenza Sorrisi ETS is a Rome-based non-governmental organisation internationally recognised for conducting humanitarian surgical missions for children suffering from facial deformities, complex craniofacial malformations and severe burn scars.
The organisation brings together a global network of more than 370 volunteer medical professionals across multiple surgical and clinical disciplines.
The delegation is currently in Kenya undertaking a specialised reconstructive surgery mission in Nairobi, working in partnership with the Kenya Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (KASPRAS).
The Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, hosted a delegation from Emergenza Sorrisi ETS, led by the organisation’s President, Fabio Massimo. The engagement was held alongside the Principal Secretary for Higher Education, Beatrice
The mission is delivering life-changing procedures to children who would otherwise have limited access to advanced surgical care.
During the meeting, discussions focused on deepening collaboration between the Government of Kenya and Emergenza Sorrisi ETS, with emphasis placed on knowledge transfer, training and capacity building within the local health system.
Officials also explored opportunities to scale up specialised reconstructive services across the country, particularly for children from vulnerable communities, by strengthening surgical training programmes and expanding partnerships with local specialists.
The talks brought together senior officials from the Ministries of Health and Education, representatives from KASPRAS, and technical officers involved in surgical training, child health and specialised care, underscoring the government’s push to integrate international expertise into Kenya’s long-term healthcare development.
