By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Kenya, June 23, 2026 - The Ministry of Health has unveiled the Kenya Health Products and Technologies (HPTs) Local Manufacturing Strategy 2026–2030, a comprehensive five-year plan designed to strengthen domestic production of health products and technologies, improve health security, create jobs, and expand access to essential medical commodities.
Speaking during the launch, Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr. Ouma Oluga said the strategy marks a significant step towards building a resilient and self-reliant healthcare system. He noted that increasing local manufacturing capacity will reduce the country's dependence on imported health products while ensuring a steady supply of affordable and quality healthcare commodities.
Dr. Oluga emphasized that the initiative will help Kenya better withstand global supply chain disruptions and contribute to sustainable healthcare financing. He added that the strategy seeks to remove long-standing barriers that have hindered growth in the sector while creating a favorable environment for investment, innovation, and industrial development.
The PS also called for greater commercialization of research and innovations developed by institutions such as the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), saying locally developed solutions should be transformed into products that address the country’s healthcare challenges.
He highlighted the importance of market aggregation and demand assurance, noting that coordinated procurement systems can provide local manufacturers with predictable markets while promoting quality, affordability, and sustainability.
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Dr. Oluga urged government agencies, development partners, manufacturers, researchers, and investors to work together in implementing the strategy, describing collaboration as essential to achieving Universal Health Coverage and advancing the government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
The strategy is built on three pillars: accelerating regulatory and policy reforms, expanding and diversifying local manufacturing capacity, and strengthening demand generation and market assurance. Through these measures, the government aims to increase utilization of local production capacity, improve market access, and position Kenya as a regional hub for the manufacture of health products and technologies.
The launch brought together key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, including Federation of Kenya Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Chairperson Dr. Vimal Patel, UNICEF Chief of Health Dr. Luigi D’Aquino, PATH Kenya Country Director Carolyne Njuguna, representatives from AMREF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB), Biovax, senior Ministry of Health officials, industry leaders, and development partners.