KBC Channel 1

Author: KBC Digital

  • Kenya receives equipment for Maternal, Women’s Health Services

    Kenya receives equipment for Maternal, Women’s Health Services

    The Ministry of Health Tuesday received 108 electric obstetric theatre beds and women’s cancer screening and management equipment valued at Ksh43M from the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen maternal, newborn and women’s health services across the country.

    The equipment was handed over by Dr. Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo and received by the Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Dr. Ouma Oluga, during a ceremony held at Kenyatta National Hospital, where he also flagged off the distribution of the equipment to beneficiary health facilities.

    The beds will be distributed to 45 health facilities across 11 priority counties to strengthen emergency obstetric and newborn care services.

    In addition, cancer screening, diagnostic, laboratory, pathology and treatment equipment will be provided to eight health facilities in Bungoma and Nyandarua counties to enhance the prevention, early detection and management of cervical and breast cancer.

    Speaking during the event, Dr. Oluga said the donation supports the Government’s efforts to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes under the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) Acceleration Plan launched by President William Ruto in May 2026.

    He noted that investments in quality maternal healthcare and cancer services are essential to reducing preventable deaths, improving patient outcomes and advancing Universal Health Coverage.

    The Principal Secretary also highlighted progress under the Women’s Integrated Cancer Services Project, a partnership between the Ministry of Health, WHO and Roche, which integrates breast and cervical cancer screening into primary healthcare services.

    To date, 8,440 women have been screened for breast and cervical cancer and selected non-communicable diseases through the initiative, with the newly handed-over equipment expected to further expand access to screening, diagnosis and treatment services.

    Dr. Oluga called on beneficiary counties and health facilities to ensure proper utilisation, maintenance and accountability of the equipment to maximise its impact and improve healthcare delivery for women and newborns.

    The Ministry of Health reaffirmed its commitment to working with county governments, development partners and healthcare workers to strengthen maternal, newborn and women’s health services and ensure that every woman and newborn has access to quality healthcare.

  • DPP secures 50 year jail term in Kisumu murder case

    DPP secures 50 year jail term in Kisumu murder case

    The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has secured a conviction and a fifty (50)-year custodial sentence against a 48-year-old Sebby Roy Oyugi for the murder of David Omondi Haya, following a judgment delivered by Justice Joe M. Omido at the Kisumu High Court.

    In a judgment delivered on 16th April 2026, the court found Sebby Roy Oyugi guilty of murder contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code.

    The accused was subsequently sentenced on 8th June 2026 to serve fifty (50) years’ imprisonment, with credit given for the 1,444 days already spent in custody pending trial.

    The case arose from an incident that occurred on 3rd June 2021 at Mamboleo Junction in Kisumu East Sub-County, during which the accused deliberately armed himself with a knife obtained from a nearby mutura vendor, pursued the deceased, who was unarmed and fleeing, and stabbed him once on the upper left side of the back. The stab wound penetrated the chest cavity, damaged the left lung, and caused a massive haemorrhage, resulting in the death of the deceased.

    The prosecution led by Mercy Mutheu Muema demonstrated through nine witnesses and forensic evidence that the accused acted with malice aforethought.

    Two eyewitnesses testified to having observed the accused arm himself, pursue, and stab the deceased before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle.

    DNA analysis conducted by the Government Chemist confirmed that blood stains found on the recovered knife matched the DNA profile of the deceased.

    In his judgment, Justice Omido found that the accused uttered threats against the deceased before the attack, deliberately acquired a lethal weapon, pursued a fleeing and unarmed victim, and targeted a vulnerable and vital part of the body.

    The court rejected the accused’s defence of intoxication and alleged temporary insanity, holding that voluntary intoxication does not constitute a disease affecting the mind under Section 12 of the Penal Code and that the accused had failed to discharge the burden of proving insanity on a balance of probabilities.

    In passing sentences, Justice Omido observed that the attack was deliberate, senseless and demonstrated a complete disregard for the sanctity of human life.

    The court noted that the combination of aggravating factors, including the prior threats, the deliberate acquisition of a weapon, the pursuit of the deceased, and the accused’s flight from the scene, substantially outweighed the mitigating circumstances, which included the accused’s status as a first offender, his expression of remorse, and his participation in religious and rehabilitative programmes while in custody.

    The court further noted that a non-custodial sentence would be wholly inappropriate given the gravity of the offence and the concerns raised in the pre-sentence report, including allegations that the accused threatened members of the deceased’s family and witnesses during the pendency of the trial.

    The fifty-year sentence was imposed to reflect society’s condemnation of the unlawful taking of human life, to serve as a deterrent, and to protect the public while preserving the possibility of eventual reintegration into society.

  • PS Beacco pushes clean energy transition in correctional facilities

    PS Beacco pushes clean energy transition in correctional facilities

    Correctional Services Principal Secretary Dr. Salome Beacco has urged senior officers to accelerate the implementation of the Presidential directive on clean energy transition across all correctional facilities.

    Speaking during a Senior Management Meeting held at Magereza House, the PS said embracing sustainable energy solutions would enhance operational efficiency while advancing the Government’s broader environmental and climate action agenda.

    The meeting reviewed progress on key departmental programmes, including offender rehabilitation and management, staff welfare, the national Greening Kenya initiative, modernization and mechanization of prison farms and industries, as well as preparations for Correctional Service Week 2026.

    Commissioner General of Prisons Patrick Aranduh commended senior officers for their professionalism and dedication in maintaining safe, secure, and humane custodial environments, urging them to sustain the momentum of ongoing reforms.

    Among those present were Kenya Prisons Service Directors and Regional Commanders drawn from across the country.

  • Kagwe calls for removal of hazardous agrochemicals used in farming 

    Kagwe calls for removal of hazardous agrochemicals used in farming 

    Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has called for urgent global action to eliminate hazardous agricultural chemicals used in crop production.

    Kagwe has also urged for an end to a longstanding double standard that exposes farmers in developing countries to substances banned elsewhere due to health and environmental risks.

    Speaking during the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) General Assembly in Nairobi, Kagwe challenged governments, regulators, manufacturers and international organisations to harmonise global standards governing agricultural chemicals and place the welfare of farmers at the centre of agricultural policy and investment.

    “The world cannot continue operating under a double standard when it comes to agricultural chemicals,” said Kagwe.

    “If a pesticide is considered unsafe for use in one country because it poses unacceptable risks to human health or the environment, it should not find a market elsewhere simply because farmers are poorer or regulations are weaker.”

    Addressing delegates drawn from across the world, including leaders of farmers’ organisations, development partners, agribusiness leaders and policymakers, the Cabinet Secretary argued that the lives and health of farmers in developing countries must be accorded the same value as those in developed economies.

    “The life of an African farmer is not worth less than the life of a farmer in other parts of the world. The health of consumers in developing countries matters just as much as the health of consumers anywhere else in the world,” he said.

    He warned that unsafe agricultural chemicals and counterfeit farm inputs continue to pose a major threat to food safety, public health, environmental sustainability and access to international markets.

    He called for stronger collaboration among governments, regulators, traders, manufacturers and farmers to combat the illegal trafficking, counterfeiting and misuse of agricultural inputs.

    “Unsafe chemicals entering our markets through informal channels undermine public confidence, threaten export markets and expose farming communities to unnecessary risks,” he noted.

    Kagwe emphasized that protecting farmers must go beyond increasing productivity and market access to include safeguarding their health and wellbeing.

    “Food safety begins at the farm. Consumer confidence begins at the farm. Public health begins at the farm. Therefore, protecting farmers must begin with protecting their health,” he said.

    The remarks formed part of a broader address in which he urged the international community to rethink agricultural development by placing farmers—not merely food systems—at the centre of global policy discussions.

    He observed that while conversations on food security, climate adaptation, financing and agricultural productivity have intensified globally, insufficient attention has been paid to the welfare, dignity and prosperity of farmers themselves.

    “The farmer has become the missing centre in discussions about agriculture. This Assembly must therefore be about more than food systems. It must be about the people who sustain those food systems,” he said.

    Kagwe also challenged long-standing inequalities within global agriculture, noting that farmers in developed countries continue to benefit from extensive public support while smallholder farmers in developing nations are often expected to compete in the same markets with limited assistance.

    He argued that investment in farmers should be viewed not as a cost but as a strategic investment in national stability, economic growth and food security.

    The Cabinet Secretary further called for reforms in agricultural financing, urging financial institutions to develop products tailored to agricultural realities, including crop cycles, climatic risks and long-term investment horizons.

    At the same time, he highlighted Kenya’s ongoing efforts to modernise agriculture through technology and data-driven systems, citing the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS) as a key tool in improving service delivery, digital subsidies, traceability and planning.

    Kagwe emphasized that technology must be used to empower farmers rather than replace them, and urged researchers to ensure innovations move beyond laboratories and academic journals to deliver practical solutions at the farm level.

    As delegates begin deliberations at the World Farmers’ Organisation General Assembly, Kagwe challenged global leaders to ensure that every policy, investment and recommendation emerging from the conference is guided by one principle: putting farmers first.

  • COSSAAK urges healthcare interventions to stem wave of school fires

    COSSAAK urges healthcare interventions to stem wave of school fires

    The Consortium of Secondary Schools Alumni Associations of Kenya (COSSAAK), the national federation of secondary school alumni associations, has called for provision of counselling and psychosocial support to the students, families, teachers and staff affected by the recent wave of dormitory fires in secondary schools across Kenya.

    “The emotional and psychological state of learners can no longer be postponed. Schools must have systems capable of identifying distress, responding to concerns, and upholding the trust placed in them by families and the nation,” said COSSAAK President Maurice Nduranu.

    In a detailed statement issued on 1st June 2026, COSSAAK said the fires, in particular the tragic dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls’ Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, which killed 16 students and injured 79 others on 29th May 2026, have left hundreds of people in acute need of mental health care, and that this need must be met with the same urgency applied to the physical safety review of school buildings.

    “Alumni are long-term custodians of school legacy, institutional memory, mentorship, public trust, and community support. We speak as stakeholders committed to the safety, dignity and holistic formation of learners,” said the federation’s Secretary General, Louise Nyamu-Steinbeck.

    COSSAAK extended its heartfelt condolences to the parents, guardians, families, classmates, teachers, staff and alumnae grieving the lives lost and urged that all those affected receive appropriate medical care, clear communication and sustained psychosocial support during what it described as a deeply painful period.

    The organisation said the health response must go beyond immediate crisis care.

    Pointing to a pattern of fire incidents, including reports of further incidents at St Joseph’s Seminary Senior School in Molo, Nakuru County, St Paul’s Githakwa Secondary School in Tetu Sub-County, Nyeri County, and Lenana School in Nairobi, COSSAAK noted that where student distress, examination anxiety, peer pressure or unresolved grievances may be contributing factors, investing in mental health infrastructure is itself a prevention measure, not simply a response to tragedy.

    COSSAAK said the Ministries of Education and Health must work hand in hand in the national response, urging that county health departments cannot continue to be brought in only after disaster strikes.

    The organisation called for health authorities to be formally embedded in school safety frameworks as standing stakeholders, responsible for ongoing trauma care, psychosocial assessment and learner wellbeing support.

    COSSAAK said it stands ready to work with national and county governments, health authorities, school communities, parents, students and community partners to strengthen learner welfare across Kenya and would issue a detailed stakeholder advisory on mental health support, emergency preparedness and learner wellbeing with member associations and education stakeholders in due course.

  • Public order, protection of business key roles of new police unit, Murkomen says

    Public order, protection of business key roles of new police unit, Murkomen says

    Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has said that effective public order management and protection of businesses are critical considerations in the establishment of Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit.

    He spoke during a learning tour of the City of London Police, a unit dedicated to maintaining law and order in London.

    “We sought to learn the systems put in place to manage public order and protect businesses and critical installations,” he said.

    Murkomen said the insights gathered will be instrumental in building a modern, professional, and effective police unit to maintain law and order in Nairobi.

    Earlier in the day the CS met the UK Secretary of State for the Home Department Rt. Shabana Mahmood.

    They explored cooperation in the establishment of the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit, as well as matters of mutual interest between the two countries, including the Kenya-UK strategic partnership framework and security compact.

    He was accompanied by Nairobi City County Governor Johnson Sakaja, National Government Coordination PS Ahmed Ibrahim, Kenya’s High Commissioner to the UK Amb Maurice Makoloo, and Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli, among other officials.

  • NLP, PLP commence citizen engagement pact as Karua, Muli push for opposition unity

    NLP, PLP commence citizen engagement pact as Karua, Muli push for opposition unity

    The National Liberal Party (NLP) and the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) have committed to a joint program of citizen engagement across Kenya, positioning themselves as liberal allies within the emerging United Opposition movement.

    The consultative meeting, held at PLP Headquarters Liberation House brought together senior officials from both parties.

    The NLP delegation was led by Party Leader Augustus Kyalo Muli, Chairman Teddy Kenyatta, and Secretary General Omondi K’Oyoo. They were hosted by PLP Party Leader Martha Karua and Secretary General Asha Bashir.

    In their joint statement, the parties emphasized that Kenya’s pressing challenges, particularly youth unemployment and the rising cost of living, demand direct dialogue with citizens.

    A Joint Technical Committee has been formed to design a framework for nationwide citizen engagement, while a collaboration document on rules-driven, issue-based politics was tabled for consideration by party organs.

    The two parties also agreed to embark on structured regional dialogues, with deliberate focus on youth, women, and MSMEs, to capture citizen priorities before 2027.

    The partnership comes as the two leaders intensify efforts to consolidate the United Opposition.

    Augustus Muli has recently reached out to Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka to forge unity talks within Ukambani and the wider opposition.

    He has repeatedly warned that a divided Ukambani risks marginalization, while a united bloc could transform its 2 million votes into decisive leverage in 2027.

    By linking grassroots citizen engagement with opposition unity, NLP and PLP are positioning themselves as catalysts for a broader coalition that could reshape Kenya’s political landscape.

    Both parties reaffirmed inclusivity as the cornerstone of their collaboration, declaring that no Kenyan will be excluded from shaping the country’s future.

  • Project management key to stronger public sector delivery, experts say

    Project management key to stronger public sector delivery, experts say

    Project management must be embedded more firmly within public sector policy and decision-making frameworks if Kenya is to strengthen government delivery and achieve sustainable development impact.

    Speaking during the Government and Public Sector Industry Project Management Conference 2026 in Nairobi, Dr. Sitati Olando, Head of Government Delivery (HGD), emphasized the strategic role of project management in translating national priorities into measurable outcomes, calling for stronger collaboration, greater professional influence in policymaking, and more structured approaches to public sector implementation.

    “Project management must occupy a stronger place in the public space. If we are to influence policy and deliver meaningful impact, we must be at the decision-making table,” said Dr. Olando.

    He called on project management professionals and institutions to work collectively to elevate the profession’s role in government delivery systems, including establishing a technical team to lead discussions on integrating project management more deeply into public sector policy and implementation frameworks.

    Dr. Olando also underscored the importance of value creation in public sector delivery, urging practitioners to leverage technology, stakeholder engagement, and collaborative approaches to improve project outcomes and service delivery.

    Highlighting the profession’s growing global relevance, he challenged stakeholders to transform project management into a broader movement capable of shaping governance and development outcomes.

    “We have a duty to grow this profession and expand its contribution to national development. I am encouraged by its progress and believe we can grow beyond 10,000 members. Government stands ready to support this journey,” he added.

    The conference, convened by PMI Kenya Chapter under the theme “Delivering Kenya’s Development Agenda Through Project Management” and the tagline “From Policy to Impact,” brought together leaders from government ministries, county governments, state corporations, development agencies, academia, and the private sector to explore ways of strengthening project delivery, accountability, and development impact.

    In her remarks, Maureen Ochang, President of PMI Kenya Chapter, highlighted the urgent need to strengthen execution systems within public institutions.

    “Kenya has no shortage of strong policies and ambitious development plans. The challenge has consistently been execution. This conference is about equipping public sector professionals with the tools, frameworks, and networks needed to translate policy into tangible, measurable impact,” she said.

    Ochang noted that public investment remains one of Kenya’s most important instruments for national transformation, with development expenditure accounting for approximately 30–35 percent of government spending in recent years.

    However, implementation challenges continue to undermine outcomes, with studies indicating that up to 40 percent of public projects in developing economies experience delays, cost overruns, scope changes, or fail to fully achieve their intended objectives.

    According to PMI global research, organizations that adopt standardized project management practices waste 28 times less money than those that do not, highlighting the significant governance, efficiency, and public finance benefits associated with stronger project management systems.

    The conference featured discussions on project governance, risk management, digital transformation, performance measurement, and accountability in public projects, with participants examining practical approaches to strengthening implementation across Kenya’s development agenda, including Vision 2030 and related national priorities.

    As governments navigate increasingly complex delivery environments and rising citizen expectations, participants underscored the need to institutionalize project management as a strategic capability for public sector transformation, effective service delivery, and sustainable development outcomes.

     

  • Dr. Augustus Muli appointed to spearhead EA regional trade, integration

    Dr. Augustus Muli appointed to spearhead EA regional trade, integration

    The East African Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (EACCIA) has appointed Dr. Augustus Kyalo Muli as Chairman of its Committee on Membership and Partnerships, positioning him at the center of efforts to deepen regional and international private sector collaboration.

    In a letter dated May 14, EACCIA President Richard Ngatia cited Dr. Muli’s “distinguished professional accomplishments, exemplary leadership, and longstanding contribution toward business development, regional cooperation, international partnerships, and community empowerment” as the basis for the appointment.

    Dr. Muli, Chief Executive Officer of Global Links (Logistics & Consultancy), accepted the role and pledged to expand and diversify the Chamber’s membership across the East African Community and globally.

    His priorities include building strategic international partnerships, enhancing trade and investment flows, and positioning East Africa as a competitive destination for global capital and innovation.

    “The mandate of this Committee to strengthen membership, advance regional and international partnerships, and open up the East African region to the rest of the world resonates strongly with my professional experience and commitment to economic integration,” Dr. Muli stated.

    He committed to leveraging his networks in logistics, investment consultancy, and international cooperation to advance EACCIA’s objectives.

    The appointment comes as EACCIA intensifies efforts to promote trade, investment, and regional integration, solidifying its role as a leading platform for private sector collaboration and sustainable economic partnerships.

  • African scientists advance data-driven solutions for women’s health

    African scientists advance data-driven solutions for women’s health

    Researchers from across Africa gathered in Nairobi for the 3rd African Modelling and Analytics Academy for Women (AMAX) Summer School, a pan-African initiative aimed at strengthening the continent’s capacity in mathematical modelling and advancing women’s health research through data-driven public health solutions.

    The two-week summer school, hosted by the University of Nairobi’s Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (CEMA) in collaboration with the Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Biomathematics & Biostatistics at the Pasteur Institute of Tunis, focuses on “Modelling for Health Decision-Making: Integrating Epidemiological, Economic, and Equity Evidence for Policy Action.”

    The school was hosted by the University of Nairobi’s Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (CEMA) and collaborated with the Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Biomathematics & Biostatistics at the Pasteur Institute of Tunis.

    It brought together partners from across Africa under the AMAX network including the Centre Pasteur du Cameroun (Cameroon), CEMA at the University of Nairobi (Kenya), the Centre de Recherche Médicale et Sanitaire (Niger), the Institut Pasteur de Dakar(Senegal), the Pasteur Institute of Tunis (Tunisia), and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (Uganda), with support from the Gates Foundation.

    As Africa continues to tackle complex public health threats including infectious disease outbreaks, and rising antimicrobial resistance, a network of African scientists is transforming health decision making through data driven, equity centered mathematical modelling.

    This vision is driving the African Modelling and Analytics Academy for Women (AMAX), a pan-African initiative bringing together Francophone and Anglophone research institutions to strengthen Africa’s capacity in mathematical modelling and advance research on women’s health across the continent.

    AMAX was established under the Gates Foundation’s Global Grand Challenges initiative within the Gender Data Equity program. The initiative recognizes that women’s health challenges are often underrepresented in health data systems and insufficiently integrated into public health modelling and policy design.

    At the same time, outbreaks and health emergencies are becoming increasingly complex in Africa where health systems often operate under limited resources highlighting the urgent need for stronger modelling and analytics capacity across government and public health institutions.

    “COVID-19 showed the world that mathematical modelling is not just an academic exercise, it is essential for epidemic preparedness, rapid response, and policy action,” said Prof. Amira Kebir, Principal Investigator of the AMAX project. “AMAX was created to ensure African countries have the expertise and collaborative networks needed to respond to public health challenges while also addressing gender inequities in health data and decision-making.”

    Mathematical models can help policymakers predict disease spread, estimate healthcare needs, identify vulnerable populations, evaluate vaccine strategies, optimize resource allocation, and prepare for future pandemics before crises escalate.

    Through intra-African collaboration, AMAX is helping build a new generation of African modelers capable of translating complex data into practical policy solutions for ministries of health and public health agencies across the continent. The researchers apply epidemiological, statistical, and economic models to answer urgent public health questions, forecast disease trends, evaluate intervention strategies, and support evidence-based policy decisions.

    The initiative focuses on five major health challenges affecting women and vulnerable populations including: human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), COVID-19, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and schistosomiasis.

    Dr. Mutono Nyamai, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis, says, “This initiative reflects the growing need of building strong local research capacity to develop locally grounded solutions for Africa’s most pressing health challenges.”

    “Strengthening expertise in data analytics and mathematical modelling within African institutions will enable countries to respond more effectively to outbreaks and health emergencies through timely, evidence-based decision-making, ultimately, saving lives,” she added.

    Over the past three years, AMAX has supported PhD researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and young scientists through placements and exchanges across partner institutions in North, West, East, and Central Africa with continued support secured to sustain and expand these efforts over the next three years.

    For example, Joy Kalekye, a PhD fellow at CEMA and member of the AMAX project team in Kenya worked closely with Senegal’s Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene last year to inform strategies for achieving control and elimination of schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease of public health concern in Africa.

    Her research highlighted the benefits of expanding treatment to include children below five years in the fight against schistosomiasis and recommended aligning Senegal’s National Strategic Plan for Neglected Tropical Diseases (2025-2030) with the 2022 WHO guidelines.

    She also advocated for inclusion of these children into mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns, tailored to levels of endemicity, to accelerate progress toward schistosomiasis control and elimination in Senegal.

    Additionally, during a six-month fellowship at CEMA, Dr. Oumaima Laraj, a postdoctoral research fellow, and Sahar Trabelsi, a PhD student in Applied Mathematics, both from Institut Pasteur de Tunis and members of the AMAX project team in Tunisia, applied mathematical modelling and gender-based data analysis across several research projects. Their work focused on four infectious diseases that disproportionately affect women: human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B, COVID-19, and antimicrobial resistance.

    Dr. Laraj’s research examined the economic impact of HPV vaccination strategies across several African countries.

    She developed models to estimate both health outcomes and financial costs of different vaccination and screening approaches, helping identify options that are effective and affordable for national health systems.

    Meanwhile, Trabelsi focused on developing adaptive, data-driven models to strengthen epidemic response strategies and optimize healthcare resource allocation, with a particular emphasis on equity and real-time public health decision-making.

    Many other high-impact collaborations between African countries have been made possible through the AMAX network. Building on AMAX’s earlier HPV modeling work in Tunisia, where vaccination scenarios informed national strategy and long-term impact, a Senegal–Tunisia analysis extended the same framework to Senegal’s epidemiological and financing context.

    At a critical time of transition away from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance support, this study provided essential evidence to guide sustainable and equitable health investment decisions in Senegal. This example of the AMAX network’s work illustrates how a shared modeling approach can be adapted across countries to support public health policymaking.

    Antimicrobial resistance work was also strengthened through a fruitful collaboration between the team at Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Uganda and the team at the Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunisia

    “Africa is growing its expertise in mathematical modelling,” noted Prof. Slimane Ben Miled, Full Professor of Applied mathematics at Pasteur Institute of Tunis. “The challenge is that expertise remains unevenly distributed across the continent. Some countries and institutions have established modelling programs, while others still face significant gaps despite carrying a high burden of public health challenges. AMAX was created to help close those gaps by strengthening local expertise, fostering collaboration, and promoting shared learning across African institutions.”

    “Importantly, AMAX is not only training scientists, it is creating a collaborative ecosystem linking researchers, ministries of health, data providers, and policymakers across Africa.” he added.

    Participants in the Nairobi Summer School have engaged in lectures, practical group work, case studies, and policy-focused hackathons designed to address real-world health questions facing African ministries of health. The training integrated epidemiology, health economics, research ethics, and equity considerations to ensure models are relevant for decision-making.

    Beyond the Summer School itself, the initiative has a broader continental mission: ensuring Africa can generate its own evidence, strengthen its own modelling expertise, and design policies rooted in African realities.

    This growing network is helping shape a new generation of African scientists who are not only technically skilled, but also deeply connected to the policy needs of their countries.