Kenya Strengthens Partnership with GE Healthcare to Advance UHC and Digital Health
Nairobi, Kenya - - Kenya is strengthening partnerships with global health innovators to accelerate the delivery of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and build a resilient, technology-driven health system under the Fifth Administration.
Cabinet Secretary for Health Hon. Aden Duale held bilateral talks with Dr. Konstantinos Deligiannis of GE Healthcare to explore strategic collaboration in health financing, digital transformation, advanced medical technologies, healthcare infrastructure and health workforce development.
The Cabinet Secretary highlighted the Government’s ongoing health reforms anchored on the Social Health Authority (SHA), noting that the Primary Healthcare Fund, the Social Health Insurance Fund and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund are expanding equitable access to quality healthcare while strengthening financial protection for all Kenyans.
The meeting reviewed progress under the National Equipment Service Programme (NESP), which is being implemented in partnership with the Council of Governors through Fee-for-Service arrangements for Level 4–6 facilities, a Framework Agreement for Levels 2 and 3 facilities, and Lease-to-Own models. The programme has deployed more than 420 specialised medical equipment units valued at KSh 10 billion across over 240 health facilities in all 47 counties.
As Kenya scales up the Framework Agreement for Levels 2 and 3 facilities, the Cabinet Secretary invited GE Healthcare to partner with the Government in expanding access to affordable medical technologies through innovative financing, preferential pricing for public health facilities, technology transfer, local assembly and maintenance, equipment support for underserved counties, and capacity building for biomedical engineers.
Discussions also explored integrating NESP with Kenya’s Digital Health Superhighway to enable real-time equipment tracking, predictive maintenance and enhanced accountability through linkage with the Social Health Authority, further strengthening the country’s digitally enabled public health system.
The Cabinet Secretary reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to transparent, mutually beneficial partnerships that improve health outcomes, noting that collaboration with GE Healthcare in oncology, cardiology, radiotherapy, neurosurgery and other specialised fields will strengthen local clinical capacity, establish centres of excellence and expand access to advanced, affordable healthcare technologies.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Dr. Ouma Oluga, and senior Ministry of Health officials.