Kemri Annual Scientific Conference (KASH) 2026 kicks off in Nairobi with a Bold Vision for Locally Made Vaccines
NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 11- The 16th KEMRI Annual Scientific and Health Conference (KASH) has officially kick off in Nairobi serving as a high-level rallying point for experts to bridge the gap between innovation and accessibility.
With a primary focus on bolstering local vaccine production and driving the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda, the forum highlights Kenya’s commitment to securing its own medical supply chains and ensuring no citizen is left behind in the pursuit of quality healthcare.
The three-day conference themed “The Future of Health: Scientific Research, Innovation, Technology and Manufacturing for a Resilient Universal Health Coverage (UHC)”, brings together researchers, innovators, policymakers and development partners to advance dialogue, forge partnerships, showcase innovation, and generate practical recommendations to support sustainable local vaccine production.
The conference was officially opened by Hon. Aden Duale, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Health Kenya, who reaffirmed the central role of science, innovation and local manufacturing in advancing Kenya’s health security and Universal Health Coverage.
CS Duale reaffirmed Government’s commitment to self-reliance in local manufacturing as a critical foundation of a sustainable health system which includes strengthening the BioVax Institute and collaborating with strategic partners to establish a regional hub in Nairobi for vaccine research, development, manufacturing and training positioning Kenya, with Kenya Medical Research Institute at the centre, as a regional leader in health product and vaccine manufacturing.
“Strengthening vaccine research, development, and manufacturing is not just a scientific priority it is central to Kenya’s health security, economic competitiveness, and national sovereignty,” he Said.
Further, the CS underscored plans to progressively increase national investment in research from 0.8 per cent to 2 per cent of GDP, in line with Kenya’s ambition to become a knowledge-driven, innovation-led and manufacturing-enabled economy.
He highlighted the Digital Superhighway initiative, which seeks to strengthen track-and-trace systems across the health sector, enhance transparency and accountability, and support the elimination of unqualified medical practitioners.
Prof. Elijah Songok, Ag. Director General of KEMRI while speaking during the opening underscored the strategic importance of vaccines, noting that vaccine research, development and manufacturing are no longer optional scientific pursuits, but pillars of national health security, industrial and innovation policy, economic resilience and self-reliance. Th
KEMRI Board Chair, Dr. Abdullahi Ali, emphasized the relevance of the conference theme, observing that the future of health systems will be determined by the strength of research ecosystems, innovation pipelines, and the capacity to manufacture solutions locally.
Reflecting on the scope and ambition of the programme, Conference Chair, Dr. Cecilia Mbae, noted that the conference was deliberately designed to bridge science to policy, innovation to impact, and research to real-world solutions.
Over the next four days the KASH 2026 will continue to serve as a critical platform for aligning research, policy, innovation, and manufacturing in pursuit of a resilient and sustainable health system for Kenya and the region.
