Kenya secures Sh65 billion Chinese deal to boost local vaccine and medicine manufacturing

Kenya and China have inked a Sh65 billion partnership aimed at transforming the country into a regional powerhouse in vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing by 2028.

The deal was unveiled on Monday, during a high-level meeting between Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan, held in Nairobi.

The initiative is part of a broader strategy to build domestic capacity, reduce reliance on medical imports and enhance healthcare resilience.

According to Duale, the partnership will harness cutting-edge Chinese technology to establish local production hubs, reinforcing Kenya’s pharmaceutical supply chains and generating employment across the health sector.

“This transformative partnership is not just about medicine, it is about sovereignty, security and sustainability in healthcare,” Duale said.

“We are proud to partner with China to develop capacity that will ensure our people access essential vaccines and medicines manufactured right here at home.”

The CS said the manufacturing hubs are central to Kenya’s long-term vision of becoming a net exporter of vaccines and health products.

Regional hub

“Our goal is to make Kenya the regional hub for health product manufacturing. We want to stop being net importers of health solutions and become producers, exporters and innovators,” he added.

The Chinese delegation also pledged 500 fully funded scholarships for Kenyan students to pursue health sciences in China, in addition to launching 20 annual exchange programmes for healthcare professionals.

Duale hailed the move as a long-term investment in Kenya’s leadership in the health sector.

“This is a powerful investment in Kenya’s future leadership in the health sector. Our young professionals will gain world-class knowledge and exposure, enabling us to lead in both practice and policy,” Duale said.

Health cooperation task force

To ensure the effective rollout of the initiative, the Cabinet Secretary proposed the formation of a Kenya-China health cooperation task force.

The team will be tasked with coordinating implementation, harmonising strategic priorities, and accelerating the signing and execution of bilateral agreements.

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• Kenya
• Aden Duale
• China
• SHA
• Health Cabinet Secretary
• Chinese Ambassador to Kenya
• Guo Haiyan
• pharmaceutical manufacturing
• vaccine hub
• Patrick Amot
• Kenya secures Sh65 billion Chinese deal to boost local vaccine and medicine manufacturing
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“We want this partnership to be results-driven. A dedicated task force will ensure that what we agree here is delivered on the ground,” he said.

Duale further urged China to support Kenya’s transition from foreign aid dependence to a co-investment model in healthcare innovation.

“We are moving from a model where we wait for aid to one where we co-invest in solutions that benefit both our nations. Let us innovate together,” he said.

SHA

The Health CS also briefed the Chinese delegation on ongoing reforms under the newly established Social Health Authority (SHA), a cornerstone of the government’s push for universal health coverage.

He praised Chinese companies such as Huawei for their ongoing contributions to Kenya’s health infrastructure, citing efforts to digitise rural health services and train thousands of health workers.

“Huawei’s contribution to rural health digitisation and training thousands of health workers shows the true spirit of partnership. We welcome more companies to follow this model,” Duale noted.

Also present at the meeting were the Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni and the Medical Health Director-General, Patrick Amoth.