Kenya is set to establish local vaccine and pharmaceutical production hubs through a joint initiative with the Chinese government.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale made the announcement on Monday after holding talks with a Chinese delegation led by Ambassador Guo Haiyan, where they discussed the rollout of the USD 500 million (Ksh 64.7 billion) project expected to position Kenya as a continental leader in health product manufacturing by 2028.

The CS said the partnership seeks to strengthen local supply chains, reduce Kenya’s reliance on imports, and create new jobs in line with the government’s development agenda.

Duale also disclosed that China has offered 500 scholarships and committed to funding 20 annual health exchange programs as a strategic investment in building Kenya’s future healthcare leadership.

He further sought China’s support in Kenya’s efforts to transition from donor-dependency to a co-investment model in healthcare innovation.

The CS briefed the delegation on the country’s ongoing health sector reforms, particularly the rollout of the Social Health Authority (SHA), and proposed the creation of a Kenya–China Health Cooperation Taskforce to coordinate efforts and fast-track agreements between the two countries.

Duale commended China’s continued support through firms such as Huawei, which has equipped rural health centers with digital technology and trained thousands of health workers.

He was accompanied by Public Health PS Mary Muthoni and Director-General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth.