Health
Kenya’s celebration this year brought the very same message forward.
“Globally, one in ten patients are harmed while receiving health care, and nearly half of that harm could have been prevented. In Africa, the risk is even higher, with patients facing a greater probability of harm in hospitals, and up to 20 times the risk of acquiring a health care-associated infection than in other regions,” stated Dr Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo, WHO Representative to Kenya, at the opening of the World Patient Safety Day Conference 2026.
“For the countless Kenyans coping with noncommunicable illness, who depend upon the health system once again and once again over several years, these dangers substance with every check out,” she said.
Over the past year, Kenya has steadily strengthened its health system with new policy reforms, expanded cancer screening services, and a growing network of trained patient safety champions, part of a wider effort to make care safer for all patients, with particular attention this year on the millions of Kenyans managing noncommunicable diseases.
These diseases include cancers, diabetes and heart diseases, and are a growing concern across the African Region, with the World Health Organization (WHO) projecting them to result in 3.8 million premature deaths by 2030.
This year, Kenya marked World Patient Safety Day 2026 with a series of national activities aimed at advancing safer care for people living with noncommunicable diseases under the global theme, “Safe look after non-communicable illness: Safe look after life.” Building on the success of the inaugural Patient Safety Symposium in 2025, Kenya expanded the conversation this year, focusing on translating knowledge into practical action and measurable commitments.
A highlight of the celebrations was the three-day World Patient Safety Day Conference 2026, held from 9 to 11 September at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi. The conference brought together health professionals, policymakers, researchers, and patient representatives to address patient safety challenges across the continuum of noncommunicable disease care.
Discussions focused on understanding the patient journey through the lens of real-life experiences, strengthening primary health care, improving diagnostic excellence and medication safety, enhancing care coordination, leveraging digital health solutions, and using data and quality improvement approaches to build safer and more resilient health systems.
Dr Kimambo emphasized that “investing in patient safety not only saves resources but more importantly saves lives and improves health outcomes.”
She highlighted dangers such as postponed medical diagnosis, medication-related damage, fragmented recommendations and insufficient follow-up, and required more powerful preventive main healthcare systems, empowered clients, enhanced quality tracking, and a culture of knowing and constant enhancement throughout the continuum of care.
“Patient security stays a foundation of more powerful health systems and Universal Health Coverage,” she mentioned while declaring it as a worldwide health concern for WHO.
Kenya’s efforts are additional supported through its choice by WHO as a leader nation for the PEN-Plus and Females Integrated Care Services initiativesThese programs, which are being carried out throughout Busia, Kericho, Bungoma and Nyandarua counties, objective to enhance access to quality noncommunicable illness services at the main healthcare level, consisting of take care of kids dealing with sickle cell illness and ladies needing breast and cervical cancer services.
In June 2026, targeted county healthcare facilities and chosen university hospital in Bungoma and Nyandarua got cancer screening and treatment devices, consisting of thermo-ablation gadgets, and Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) makers. Following the circulation of devices and products, a series of capacity-building activities were carried out, consisting of how to utilize the devices and to gather quality information. These efforts, carried out with the Ministry of Health and provider engineers intends to enhance cervical cancer screening, enhancing diagnostic precision and timeliness, and boosting treatment services.
In addition, the current released WHO and Aga Khan University Partnership concentrated on taking a look at proof in Kenya to assist making use of HPV DNA genotyping and high-performance screening of cervical cancer screening techniques.
Dr Gladwell Gathecha, Head of the Division of Noncommunicable Diseases and Cancer at the Ministry of Health, kept in mind that through the above WHO-supported efforts, the advancement and execution of females’s cancer medical standards and procedures, integrated with health employee training, professional mentorship and encouraging guidance, have actually reinforced service provider self-confidence at lower-level centers, enhanced quality of care, and improved nation ownership and sustainability of the programs.
Dr Hongyi Xu, Medical Officer with the WHO AFRO Noncommunicable Disease Multi-Country Assignment Team, highlighted the strong policy and legal structure driving enhancements in client security and quality of care in Kenya. She pointed out crucial reforms, consisting of the Main Health Care Act 2023the National Essential Medicines List, the 2025 Quality Healthcare and Patient Safety Billand continuous health funding reforms, all of which address significant barriers to safe and premium noncommunicable illness care.
Worldwide, noncommunicable illness care is ending up being significantly intricate. In city locations of sub-Saharan Africa, an approximated 45% of metropolitan grownups aged 40 to 60 years deal with more than one persistent condition, frequently getting care from several suppliers. The conference utilized the case research study of “Mama Amina”a 64-year-old female dealing with 5 persistent conditions and taking 12 medications, to show the obstacles dealt with by clients with multimorbidity. Her experience highlighted the security threats related to browsing numerous health employees, centers, and treatment programs.
Dr Xu kept in mind that Kenya has actually made efforts in moving beyond access to care towards making sure access to safe, premium noncommunicable illness services. Appealing practices consist of client handover notes, multidisciplinary case evaluations, and medication reconciliation to avoid replicate prescriptions and damaging drug interactions amongst clients with several persistent conditions.
“It is important to embed patient safety within all noncommunicable disease-related policies, strategies and plans and, most importantly, to translate policy into practice,” stated Dr Xu. “Particular attention should be given to remote, underserved and pastoralist counties, while building resilient health systems capable of maintaining essential noncommunicable disease services during public health emergencies.”
Through strong collaborations, policy reforms and financial investments in quality enhancement, Kenya continues to show management in reinforcing client security and enhancing health results throughout the continuum of noncommunicable illness care.
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