Health Updates

EMBU STRENGTHENS DIGITAL HEALTH SYSTEMS AS DHA OFFICERS DEPLOYED TO COUNTY

Embu County has stepped up implementation of its digital health agenda following the deployment of two Digital Health Officers to provide on-the-ground technical support to the county’s health system.

The officers, Shadrack and Brendah, were formally received by the Department of Health during a visit by Dr. Thomas Mwogi of Konvergenz Network Solutions and a Digital Health Agency (DHA) team to the office of Health CECM Jamal Runyenje Ogw

According to the department, the officers will work alongside county health teams to strengthen system coordination, support smooth operation of digital platforms and accelerate resolution of technical challenges arising within health facilities.

The visit also included engagement with the County Health Management Team (CHMT), where new digital health modules were demonstrated and progress in addressing previously identified system issues was reviewed.

Attention is now also turning to development of a County Health Dashboard, with the CHMT proposing key indicators to provide decision-makers with timely information on health-sector performance and service delivery.

The development builds on Embu's wider investment in healthcare digitisation and comes as counties increasingly integrate national digital health infrastructure with local health-management systems.

FORMER HIGH COURT JUDGE JOSEPH MUTAVA DIES AFTER SUDDEN ILLNESS

Former High Court Judge Joseph Mutava, husband to Kibwezi East MP Jessica Mbalu, died after suddenly falling ill on the night of August 21, 2026.

According to reports, a postmortem has since established a preliminary cause of death. However, the family has requested additional toxicology tests to help rule out poisoning or other possible contributing factors.

The tests are expected to provide further clarity on the circumstances surrounding his sudden death.

EMBU PARTNERS WITH APHRC ON GENETICS & GENEALOGY HEALTH STUDY

Embu County has hosted researchers from the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) as part of a Genetics and Genealogy Study exploring how genetic factors and family health patterns can help improve disease prevention, diagnosis and patient care.

The engagement brought together the APHRC research team and Embu County health officials led by Chief Officer Patrick Mukavi and Henry Nthigah, representing Health CECM Jamal Runyenje Ogw.

According to the County Department of Health, the study seeks to deepen understanding of inherited diseases and family health patterns, with potential applications in earlier disease detection, identification of people and families at higher risk, targeted prevention and more personalised treatment.

The collaboration also highlights the growing role of research and evidence-based medicine in strengthening healthcare at county level—moving beyond treating illness to better understanding who may be at risk and how interventions can be targeted earlier.

Embu County says it will continue supporting research, innovation and evidence-based interventions aimed at improving health outcomes for residents.

KENYA HIGHLIGHTS HEALTH FINANCING GAINS AT WHO AFRICA MEETING

Kenya has showcased progress in its healthcare financing reforms, reporting that more than 32.3 million people have now been registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA) as the country pushes towards Universal Health Coverage.

Speaking during a high-level ministerial dialogue at the 76th WHO Regional Committee for Africa, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the shift from NHIF to SHA is intended to move Kenya away from an employment-based insurance model towards broader coverage based on healthcare need.

According to figures presented by the Ministry of Health, the new financing framework has so far supported more than 20 million outpatient visits involving 15 million people, over 1.2 million safe deliveries and approximately 500,000 surgical procedures.

The Government further reports that the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund has supported more than 50,000 cancer patients and nearly 21,000 dialysis patients, while over 95% of health facilities — 6,424 out of 6,727 — have been digitised.

Duale told fellow African health ministers that sustainable domestic financing, technology and strong partnerships will be critical if countries are to expand healthcare access while protecting families from catastrophic medical expenses.

🟢 FAMILY SEARCH UNDERWAY AFTER CONGOLESE MOTHER DIES IN NAIROBI

A public appeal has been launched to trace the relatives of Ruth Mukene Ndongola, a Congolese woman who died at Kenyatta National Hospital after a short illness while staying with a friend in Nairobi’s South B area. Her body has reportedly remained in the mortuary for close to a month as friends struggle to locate her next of kin.

The situation is particularly urgent as Ruth reportedly leaves behind a seven-year-old daughter, who now requires family care and support. Members of the Congolese community in Kenya and anyone who may know Ruth or her relatives in Kenya or the Democratic Republic of Congo are being asked to help reconnect the family.

According to the published appeal, anyone with information that could help trace her family can contact +254 700 793419.

Sometimes sharing a story can help it reach the one person who knows the family.

GARISSA CANCER CENTRE BRINGS SPECIALISED CANCER CARE CLOSER TO NORTHERN KENYA

What once meant long, expensive journeys in search of specialised cancer treatment is increasingly becoming care closer to home for patients across Northern Kenya.

The Garissa Regional Cancer Centre, which began operations in September 2022 and was officially launched in February 2023, has developed into an important regional referral hub offering cancer screening, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, brachytherapy, palliative care and psychosocial support.

According to a newly published Council of Governors Maarifa Centre feature, the facility now serves patients from more than nine neighbouring counties as well as Somalia, attending to approximately 40 patients daily, including about 10 new cases.

The significance goes beyond having sophisticated treatment available. Bringing oncology services closer to patients reduces costly travel and allows many to undergo treatment while remaining near their families and support systems. A 2026 peer-reviewed analysis similarly identifies the Garissa centre as an important milestone in Kenya's decentralisation of cancer care, improving access for historically hard-to-reach northern and eastern regions.

Health financing is also playing a role. Patients interviewed for the CoG feature reported SHA support across key parts of their treatment journey, including consultations, laboratory services, medicines, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The bigger story however is that specialised healthcare does not always have to be concentrated in Nairobi. Garissa's experience demonstrates what decentralised cancer services can mean for patients — earlier access, treatment closer to home, reduced travel burden and greater family support during one of life's most difficult journeys. 💙🎗️

EMBU HEALTH WORKERS SET TO RETURN TO WORK MONDAY AFTER AGREEMENT

Normal healthcare services are set to resume across Embu County public health facilities on Monday following an agreement between the County Government and health workers’ representatives, bringing the latest industrial action to an end.

The breakthrough follows negotiations involving the Embu County Government, health-sector management and staff representatives, paving the way for striking healthcare workers to return to their stations.

Embu Health CECM Jamal Runyenje Ogw, welcomed the agreement and thanked Governor Cecily Mbarire, EGH, staff representatives and the county management team for helping reach a resolution.

“Thanks to the Almighty, the Governor H.E. Hon. Cecily Mbarire, EGH, our staff representatives and the entire management team at Embu County Government, now we can go back to work on Monday. Hii safari tulisema tunatembea pamoja.” — Jamal Runyenje, OGW.

The return is expected to provide much-needed relief to patients following weeks of disruption to services in county health facilities.

KENYA HEALTH SUMMIT 2026: TWO DAYS THAT PUT THE COUNTRY'S HEALTH REFORMS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

The inaugural Kenya Health Summit 2026 has ended, but perhaps its most important achievement was not another announcement or policy launch. It was bringing Kenya's health reforms out of technical documents and political debate and putting them before the country for examination.

At the centre of the Summit was an unusually candid Presidential Town Hall, where President William Ruto engaged health workers, facility managers, county leaders, patients and other stakeholders on what is actually happening inside Kenya's changing health system.

For many Kenyans, the conversation helped put numbers (and real experiences) behind a health reform debate that has often been dominated by competing political narratives.

The figures presented were significant: 32.3 million Kenyans registered under SHA, eight million people having received treatment, more than 1.2 million mothers supported through deliveries and over 500,000 surgical procedures supported. About KSh178 billion has also been paid to health facilities.

But perhaps more revealing were the voices from the ground: Facility managers spoke about increased financing enabling laboratories to function, pharmacies to stock medicines and facilities to expand services. At the same time, health workers and sector leaders confronted the President with unresolved challenges; including salary arrears, workforce concerns and implementation gaps.

And that may ultimately be what made the Summit important is that it did not present a health system without problems, but rather a health system undergoing one of the most consequential transitions in Kenya's history — with measurable gains, difficult implementation challenges and unfinished work.

The discussions also demonstrated that SHA is only one part of a much larger architecture. Primary healthcare, Community Health Promoters, digital health, emergency medical services, specialised treatment, medicines, health financing and stronger cooperation between national and county governments are increasingly being connected into one health system.

The Presidential Town Hall therefore changed the conversation in an important way: from simply asking “Is Taifa Care working?” to asking the more useful questions — what is working, where is it working, what is not working, and what must now be fixed?

The World Health Organization reaffirmed its support for Kenya's Universal Health Coverage journey during the Summit, while more than 5,000 delegates drawn from government, counties, Parliament, health professionals, development partners, private sector, civil society and communities participated in the wider conversation. Perhaps that is the greatest success of the Kenya Health Summit 2026: It replaced some of the noise surrounding Kenya's health reforms with a much clearer picture of what is actually happening on the ground.

DHA DEPLOYS 70 OFFICERS TO ALL 47 COUNTIES IN DIGITAL HEALTH PUSH

Kenya’s digital health transformation is moving into a new phase with the deployment of 70 Digital Health Agency (DHA) County Officers across all 47 counties.

The officers were flagged off alongside Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, with the deployment expected to bring the agency closer to county governments, health facilities, health workers and other stakeholders.

According to Dr. Greg Banda, Chairman of the CECMs Caucus and a DHA Board member, the officers will help counties adopt, integrate and effectively use digital health systems while providing a direct link between local health facilities and the agency.

The deployment marks a shift from building digital health infrastructure to putting systems into practical use on the ground, with county officers expected to identify challenges, support implementation and facilitate feedback from the health sector.

For the first time, every county will have a dedicated DHA presence on the ground.

Congratulations to Charlene Ruto on her traditional wedding (Koito) today, at her father's (President Ruto) farm in Kilgoris