State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards

19/11/2025

The Ministry of Health today joined other stakeholders in marking World Toilet Day at Kalobeyei Refugee Camp in Kakuma, Turkana County.

Commemorated every 19th November, World Toilet Day raises global awareness on the urgent need for safe sanitation and highlights the impact that inadequate toilets have on public health, dignity, and the environment.

An estimated five million Kenyans still lack proper sanitation facilities, with open defecation widely practiced in 15 counties.

Speaking during the event, Acting Director for Environmental Health, Ms. Naomi Mutie, said the government is scaling up sanitation interventions and stressed that stronger investments and community-led approaches are key to ensuring every Kenyan can access safe and dignified toilet facilities.

She noted that enhancing public education on hygiene practices remains central to reducing disease and improving overall community wellbeing.

The Ministry also activated the Epuka Uchafu, Afya Nyumbani initiative in Turkana, making it the 11th county to benefit from the program.

The event was attended by Turkana County Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus, Health CEC Dr. Joseph Epem Esekon, and other senior officials.

19/11/2025

There is nothing more relieving like an available,clean toilet.Let us work together to ensure every community has access to clean, dignified and safe toilets.

19/11/2025

This World Toilet Day, we shine a light on the importance of proper sanitation. Protect your health, protect your family, use and maintain clean toilets.

15/11/2025

Kenya has taken bold steps to honour its global climate commitments, beginning with the recent launch of the Kenya Climate Change and Health Strategy, a major milestone in integrating health into climate action.

Speaking at the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) Day Opening at the , Principal Secretary State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muthoni highlighted additional progress, including nationwide vulnerability assessments and new guidelines that support greener, climate-resilient health facilities.

She emphasized that Kenya continues to champion the inclusion of health in climate policies, stronger investment in adaptation, and accelerated implementation through global partnerships.

"The goal is clear; to ensure every climate action delivers measurable health benefits, especially for frontline communities." Said the PS.

14/11/2025

Kenya remains committed to building a climate-resilient, low-carbon health system that protects both people and the planet. Climate action is now firmly embedded in national health planning through the National Climate Change Action Plan and the Kenya Health Sector Strategic Plan, ensuring healthcare services can withstand droughts, floods, disease outbreaks, and other climate-related shocks.

Across the country, the government is scaling up solar-powered health facilities, adopting energy-efficient medical technologies, and supporting local manufacturing of heat-stable vaccines and green medical devices — practical steps that cut emissions while improving access to essential services. These investments reflect Kenya’s determination to deliver healthcare that is sustainable, modern, and equitable.

Speaking during a Unitaid event at COP30, Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muthoni reaffirmed Kenya’s readiness to leverage green financing, technology transfer, and strategic partnerships to accelerate the shift toward climate-smart healthcare.

With these initiatives and collaborations, Kenya aims to position itself and the wider African region as a leader in climate-resilient health systems where universal health coverage and environmental sustainability advance hand in hand.

11/11/2025

The Government of Kenya remains keen on advancing local vaccine research, development, and manufacturing as a key pillar of health security and universal health coverage.

In pursuit of this goal, the Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, today held a meeting to strengthen collaboration with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI).

The discussions focused on enhancing partnerships in vaccine innovation, capacity building, and research to support Kenya’s growing vaccine ecosystem.

The meeting brought together representatives from IAVI led by Dr. Kundai Chinyenze, alongside Kenya Biovax Institute, Kenya National Public Health Institute, Pharmacy and Poisons Board, and KEMRI.

11/11/2025

10/11/2025

The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving the World Health Organization (WHO) Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Kenya’s health regulatory systems and laboratory capacity.

In line with this goal, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon. Aden Duale, conducted his inaugural visit to the National Quality Control Laboratory (NQCL) headquarters, accompanied by the Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni. The visit included a tour of the facilities and engagements with the management and technical teams.

Discussions during the visit centered on enhancing regulatory oversight, improving testing and certification processes, and fostering innovation to advance the safety, quality, and efficacy of medicines in circulation.

The Ministry of Health remains steadfast in building a robust, science-driven laboratory system that safeguards public health, ensures industry compliance, and positions Kenya as a regional leader in health regulation.

10/11/2025

The Ministry of Health continues to deepen strategic partnerships that advance health systems, enhance community health delivery, and expand access to high-quality health services.

Today, the Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Ms. Mary Muthoni, hosted Ms. Alice Lin Fabiano, Vice President for Social Impact and Partnerships at Johnson and Johnson, where they discussed ongoing collaborations between the Ministry and Johnson and Johnson to scale community health, develop the nursing workforce, and advance mental health interventions across the country.

Johnson and Johnson remains an anchor partner in the Community Health Units for Universal Health Coverage (CHU4UHC) platform, supporting sustainable community health investments through impact assessments, data and analytics improvements, curriculum updates and eCHIS interoperability.

The partnership also supports nursing through scholarships, career progression guidelines, skills development, while advancing mental health services through surveys and training of specialised and non-specialised cadres across priority counties.

07/11/2025

The Government is expanding specialised healthcare training to improve access to advanced clinical services for Kenyans and accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Today, 77 professionals graduated with Higher Diploma qualifications at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) Training Institute of Specialised Nursing (TISN).

Of the graduating cohort, 29 attained Higher Diplomas in Critical Care Nursing, 18 in Oncology Nursing, 12 in Perioperative Nursing and 18 in Nephrology Nursing.

Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, congratulated the graduates, noting that the Government is prioritizing the development of a skilled and specialized health workforce as a key driver of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

She emphasized that strengthening human resources for health is central to improving the quality of care, expanding access to specialized services, and ensuring that every Kenyan receives timely and effective treatment, regardless of location or income level.

07/11/2025

The National Quality Control Laboratory (NQCL) plays a critical role in safeguarding the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines circulating within our health system. Its mandate directly supports public confidence and strengthens the entire pharmaceutical value chain.

The Ministry of Health hosted the Board of Management of NQCL, led by Board Chairperson Dr. John Muturi and Acting CEO Dr. Sultani Matendechero, who paid a courtesy call to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon. Aden Duale.

The engagement focused on strengthening regulatory oversight, NQCL’s readiness to support Kenya’s progress towards attaining World Health Organization (WHO) Maturity Level 3 (ML3), enhancing inspection capacity, and exploring innovations that advance the testing and certification of medical products.

The Ministry leadership reiterated commitment to ensuring strong, science-driven quality assurance frameworks that protect patients, support industry compliance to sustain Kenya’s leadership in regional health regulation.

04/11/2025

Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni today presided over the launch of the dissemination of the Rift Valley Fever Contingency Plan and the Human Brucellosis Testing Guidelines.

These new tools mark an important step in strengthening national preparedness, improving early detection and ensuring a more coordinated One Health response to priority zoonotic diseases that continue to affect communities, especially in pastoralist and high-risk regions.

Speaking at the launch the PS emphasised that standardising diagnostic approaches, improving laboratory accuracy, and enhancing county-level surveillance and response capacity will reduce misdiagnosis, protect livelihoods and prevent avoidable outbreaks.

She further acknowledged the collaboration with other government institutions, academia, research organisations and partners such as International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the University of Liverpool, noting that multisectoral action remains key to safeguarding lives, livestock and the economy.