Nairobi to Host 2nd Eastern Africa Regional Global Health Security Summit (EARGHSS 2026)

Nairobi, Kenya — Kenya is set to host the 2nd Eastern Africa Regional Global Health Security Summit (EARGHSS 2026) from January 27 to 29, 2026 at the Safari Park Hotel and Conference Centre in Nairobi, marking a strategic push to strengthen regional health security and reduce dependency on global supply chains for essential health commodities. 

Organised under the theme “Catalysing Collaboration & Local Manufacturing of Health Commodities for Africa’s Sovereign Health Security,” the three-day summit is expected to convene approximately 1,000 to 1,500 delegates from governments, regional institutions, private sector actors, development partners, academia and the wider health community across Eastern Africa. 

Strategic Priorities and Local Manufacturing

The summit agenda emphasises strengthening regional cooperation, advancing local manufacturing of medicines, vaccines and medical supplies, and enhancing preparedness for future health emergencies. A key outcome will be the official launch of Kenya’s Local Manufacturing Strategy for health products, aimed at positioning the country as a regional hub for production and reducing reliance on imports. 

Kenyan health officials, including Principal Secretary for the State Department for Medical Services Dr. Ouma Oluga, have highlighted the urgency of reassessing dependence on external supply chains — a vulnerability exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic — and moving toward sustainable, locally driven solutions. 

Institutional Collaboration and Regional Integration

The summit builds on the inaugural EARGHSS held in 2025 and reflects a broader institutional collaboration involving the Ministry of Health, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Eastern Africa Regional Coordination Centre, Kenya Vision 2030 Secretariat, Kenya BioVax Institute, and other regional partners. 

These engagements align with continental efforts such as the Africa CDC’s New Public Health Order, which advocates for strengthened health systems, regional manufacturing capacity and coordinated responses to biological threats. 

Regional Health Security Imperatives

Eastern Africa continues to face public health challenges, including intermittent outbreaks of diseases like cholera and emerging zoonotic risks. By pooling expertise, harmonising regulatory frameworks and prioritising manufacturing, the region aims to enhance resilience against future shocks without overreliance on external donors. 

For citizens across the region, successful implementation of the summit’s commitments could translate into improved access to more affordable, locally manufactured health products, a foundational step toward sustainable health security.