Kenya and Indonesia are seeking to deepen cooperation in healthcare, with a focus on vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing, medicines regulation, health financing and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the discussions took place on the sidelines of the 76th World Health Organization Regional Committee for Africa, where he met Indonesia’s Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.
Duale said Kenya intends to leverage Indonesia’s experience in the health sector while positioning the country as a gateway to East African markets for medical products.
“Our discussions focused on translating existing agreements into tangible outcomes in vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing, medicines regulation and Universal Health Coverage,” Duale said.
A key area of the discussions was the implementation of an agreement between Kenya’s Pharmacy and Poisons Board and Indonesia’s National Agency of Drug and Food Control.
The two countries also agreed to advance technology transfer and joint vaccine production involving Kenya’s Biovax and Indonesia’s Bio Farma.
According to Duale, the partnership will also cover health financing, digital health and workforce development as Kenya and Indonesia seek to strengthen their health systems and improve access to essential medical products.
The two governments are expected to designate focal points to coordinate the implementation of the agreed initiatives. They will also establish an annual senior-officials review mechanism to assess progress and address challenges affecting the cooperation.
Duale said the latest engagement builds on Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s 2023 state visit to Kenya, which provided a foundation for increased bilateral cooperation in several sectors, including healthcare.
Indonesia’s Health Minister is expected to visit Nairobi in the coming period, with the visit expected to provide an opportunity for both countries to endorse a detailed roadmap on health security and equitable access to medical products.
The meeting was attended by Kenya’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Galma Boru, Health Director General Dr Patrick Amoth and Digital Health Agency Chief Executive Officer Anthony Lenaiyara.
The partnership comes as Kenya seeks to strengthen local manufacturing of medicines and vaccines, reduce reliance on imports and expand its capacity to serve healthcare markets across the East African region.