Duale launches health institute despite opposition from practitioners

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Thursday launched the Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI) despite opposition from a section of practitioners. 

Duale was optimistic that the institute would enhance preventive and promotive healthcare geared towards the country’s pursuit of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). 

"KNPHIs serve as centralised hubs that bring together surveillance, emergency response, health research, and policy coordination under one roof," said Duale.

He was speaking during the launch of the programme on Thursday, at Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi. 

"They eliminate duplication of efforts, align national policies with international standards such as the WHO’s International Health Regulations, and ensure that public health threats are managed quickly, effectively, and comprehensively,” he said.

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The CS revealed that 13 key divisions and programmes, including Disease Surveillance, Zoonotic Disease Management, Emergency Operations, Health Informatics, and the National Public Health Laboratories, have already been transferred to the KNPHI. 

But, two health sector lobby groups have opposed the development of KNPHI constituted under Legal Notice No. 14 of 2022.

Two weeks ago, Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPHPU) and the Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUMLO) threatened to call nationwide protests unless the government halts the "rushed formation and operationalisation of KNPHI.

They accused the Ministry of Health of allegedly bypassing legal requirements and excluding key stakeholders in the establishment of the institute. 

“Any formation of government policy must involve stakeholders as a legal requirement and must also look at the future with the present in mind,” said KEHPHPU Secretary General and CEO Brown Olaly Ashira, in a joint statement. 

They questioned the formation process, claiming that the move lacked a clear legal framework, human resource validation and failed to guarantee job security or protect members’ benefits.

"The institute must be led by a mix of implementing cadres, namely public health officers and laboratory technologists with relevant skills and registration,” said KNUMLO National Chairperson Nicholas Odipo.

However, the CS defended KNPHI, saying it has been founded to strengthen Kenya’s leadership and coordination in public health security and emergency response.

"It provides us with a unified platform to prioritise public health needs, mobilise resources efficiently, build laboratory and workforce capacity, and generate research that will guide our national policies," he said. 

Duale explained that the challenges in the sector exposed by Covid-19 pandemic informed the Ministry's decision to form the institution to address the concerns.

"The events of recent years — from the Covid-19 pandemic to the Ebola outbreaks in neighboring countries — have taught us hard lessons. We must have strong institutions capable of acting swiftly and decisively to protect the health of our people," he said. 

“We are committed to strengthening UHC, enhancing preventive and promotive healthcare, and building a resilient system that supports a healthier population and stimulates socio-economic growth,” the CS added.

He urged ministries, departments, agencies, county governments, and non-state stakeholders to rally behind KNPHI’s leadership, and the Public Service Commission to fast-track the approval of human resource instruments for the institute to complete the transition.