Ruto Opens National Health Summit as Kenya Reviews Healthcare Reforms
President highlights progress under SHA, digital health and primary healthcare as stakeholders chart the next phase toward Universal Health Coverage.
Nairobi, Kenya | August 18, 2026
President William Ruto has opened the Kenya National Health Summit 2026 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, as the government takes stock of ongoing healthcare reforms and outlines priorities for the next phase of implementation.
The two-day summit, running from August 18 to 19, brings together national and county government officials, health professionals, development partners, innovators and other stakeholders to discuss the country's healthcare transformation.
Key areas under discussion include Universal Health Coverage (UHC), healthcare financing, primary healthcare, specialised treatment, digital health, medicines and health products, as well as accountability within the health sector.
The Social Health Authority (SHA) remains at the centre of the government's healthcare reforms. The administration says the new system is intended to expand access to healthcare, improve the management of health funds and reduce financial barriers for patients seeking treatment.
President Ruto has also highlighted the growing role of digital technology in healthcare, saying digitisation can improve transparency, strengthen accountability and make it easier to track healthcare services and payments.
Primary healthcare is another major pillar of the reforms, with Community Health Promoters expected to play a greater role in bringing healthcare services closer to households. The government says strengthening primary healthcare can help prevent illnesses and reduce pressure on referral hospitals.
The summit is also providing an opportunity to assess challenges facing the health sector, including shortages of medicines, inadequate infrastructure, human-resource gaps, limited access to specialised care and the cost of treatment.
Stakeholders are expected to use the summit to assess the progress of the reforms and identify areas requiring further intervention as Kenya works towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.
The discussions come amid continued public scrutiny of the country's healthcare system, with Kenyans seeking reforms that translate into accessible, affordable and quality medical services.
As the summit continues, attention will remain on how the government's healthcare agenda can address existing gaps and ensure that the reforms deliver tangible benefits to Kenyans across the country.