NAIROBI, Kenya — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Wednesday held bilateral talks with Rulan Samara, the Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to Kenya, in a move aimed at strengthening cooperation in advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The meeting focused on expanding access to specialised healthcare services, particularly in oncology, as Kenya seeks to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases while building a more equitable and resilient health system.
According to the Ministry of Health, the engagement is aligned with the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and ongoing reforms under the Taifa Care framework, which aims to overhaul healthcare delivery and financing.
Central to these reforms is the operationalisation of the Social Health Authority (SHA), a key pillar designed to enhance health financing, improve predictability of funding, and reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for patients.
During the talks, both countries explored potential areas of collaboration, including digital health systems, local pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing, and strengthening specialised care and referral systems.
The discussions also covered health workforce development and regulatory harmonisation, reflecting Kenya’s push to modernise its healthcare infrastructure.
Kenya expressed particular interest in drawing lessons from Jordan’s experience in implementing UHC, especially in designing benefit packages and provider payment systems that balance efficiency with long-term sustainability.
Jordan has been recognised for its relatively advanced healthcare system in the Middle East, with structured insurance frameworks and a strong emphasis on specialised care areas, which Kenyan officials believe could inform ongoing reforms.
The bilateral engagement comes at a critical time for Kenya’s health sector, as the government transitions from the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the new SHA model.
The reforms have sparked public debate over affordability, coverage, and implementation challenges, placing increased pressure on policymakers to deliver tangible improvements.
Also present at the meeting was Director of Public Health and Sanitation, Stephen Muleshe, underscoring the technical and policy-level focus of the discussions.
