• Climate change continues to directly and indirectly affect public health through multiple channels, including extreme weather events, shifts in infectious disease patterns, and food and water security disruptions.
  •  KNPHI will act as a central hub for surveillance, emergency operations and response, health research, among other functions.

The Principal Secretary (PS) in the State Department for Environment and Climate, Festus Ng’eno, has reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to collaborative approaches in Health, Environment, and Agriculture.

According to the Environment PS, climate change continues to directly and indirectly affect public health through multiple channels, including extreme weather events, shifts in infectious disease patterns, and food and water security disruptions. “We can’t talk about One Health without Environment, “he said.

On May 8, 2025, the Ministry of Health launched the Kenya National Public Health Institute (NPHI) at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.

This makes the institute a fully functional and autonomous public health entity capable of effectively managing public health functions.

“We are committed to strengthening Universal Health Coverage (UHC), enhancing preventive and promotive healthcare, and building a resilient system that supports a healthier population and stimulates socio-economic growth,” Health CS Duale said.

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He also announced that 13 key divisions and programs, including Disease Surveillance, Zoonotic Disease Management, Emergency Operations, Health Informatics, and the National Public Health Laboratories, have officially been transferred to KNPHI.

This is in accordance with Article 42 of the Constitution, which provides for a clean and healthy environment, which is key to public health.

PS Ng’eno also reinforced his Ministry's commitment to continuing to provide early warnings through the Kenya Meteorological Department, since most health events are seasonal. 

“This will help to minimize disaster impacts and enhance community resilience through timely and actionable information about impending hazards,” he said.

The KNPHI will act as a central hub for surveillance, emergency operations and response, health research, among other functions.

KNPHI, launched by the Government, is the most important structure in the health system. Public health prevents people from getting sick.

It promotes health, looks at epidemics, pandemics and disease surveillance.