NAIROBI, Kenya — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale chaired a consultative meeting on Tuesday, April 7, with the National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNAK), focusing on workforce strengthening and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) delivery priorities.
The NNAK delegation, led by Chairperson Collins Otieno Ojwang, made a courtesy visit to the ministry to deliberate on nursing sector challenges and policy alignment.
Workforce Centrality
Nurses constitute approximately 70pc of Kenya’s health workforce, making their role central to UHC advancement. Discussions emphasised practical strategies to enhance care quality, with particular attention to strengthening antenatal care (ANC) training—a designated national priority.
The meeting also addressed International Nurses Day observance from May 6–12, 2026, under the theme “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives.”
The week will accelerate community-based programmes and health campaigns while recognising nursing contributions to patient outcomes.
Ministry Affirmation
Duale affirmed nurses as “the backbone of the healthcare system,” working alongside Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to deliver essential services.
He noted ongoing reforms aim to strengthen primary healthcare, expand access, and improve quality outcomes.
Technical Participation
The CS was joined by Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, Ministry Director of Curative and Nursing Services Dr. Andrew Toro, and Nursing Council of Kenya Registrar Dr. Lister Onsongo. Representatives from Johnson & Johnson and ministry technical teams also participated.
The consultation signals institutional commitment to structured stakeholder engagement in health workforce governance, though tangible policy outputs from such meetings have historically faced implementation gaps in training resource allocation and CHP integration with formal nursing structures.
