NAIROBI, Kenya — The Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, has been honoured with the Public Health Personality Award at the 2026 Instinct Women Awards held in Nairobi.
According to the Ministry of Health, the award recognises her leadership in strengthening primary healthcare and advancing preventive and promotive health services across the country.
The Ministry said the recognition celebrates efforts to reinforce community-based healthcare systems, improve disease prevention strategies, and promote accessible public health services in line with Kenya’s broader health sector reforms.
“We congratulate @psmuthoni on this well-deserved recognition and her continued commitment to advancing public health in Kenya,” the Ministry said in a statement.
Muthoni serves as Principal Secretary in charge of Public Health and Professional Standards, a docket central to the government’s push for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Her role includes oversight of preventive health programmes, regulatory standards, and coordination of public health interventions.
The Instinct Women Awards recognise women leaders across sectors for excellence, innovation, and impact in their respective fields.
Her award comes amid ongoing reforms within the health sector aimed at expanding primary healthcare services, enhancing disease surveillance, and strengthening professional standards in medical practice.
Public health experts have consistently underscored the importance of preventive and promotive health services in reducing disease burden and lowering healthcare costs, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
