NAIROBI, Kenya — WHX Nairobi and WHX Labs Nairobi are set to convene from October 6 to 8 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, bringing together stakeholders to address Kenya’s deepening healthcare workforce crisis.
According to World Health Expo (WHX), the country currently trains only 7,650 new health professionals annually, far short of the more than 70,000 needed to meet growing demand.
WHX notes that the gap could widen to 170,000 by 2035 if immediate investments in training and recruitment are not made.
“Kenya’s journey toward Universal Health Coverage is grounded in the principle of Primary Health Care,” said Desta Lakew, Group Director of Partnerships and External Affairs at AMREF Health Africa.
“My hope for the WHX Nairobi roundtable is that it catalyses greater political goodwill and innovation toward scalable, people-first solutions.”
WHX observes that Kenya’s health workforce is expanding at a rate of just 3.4% per year, while the demand for services is rising faster at 4.7%.
A recent Sh38.7 billion budget cut in the health sector adds further pressure, threatening the country’s Vision 2030 goals for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The WHX events will host over 300 exhibitors, 8,000 participants, and international health leaders to explore practical solutions.
“By uniting policymakers, legislators, hospital executives, laboratory professionals, and healthcare leaders at WHX Nairobi and WHX Labs Nairobi, we are building on the legacy of the past seven years,” said Tom Coleman, Portfolio Director for Informa Markets.
Among the new initiatives is Rays of Hope, focused on addressing radiologist shortages, and Women 50/50, which aims to promote gender balance in healthcare leadership.
