Pulse logo
Pulse Region

Kenya's pivotal role at COP29 & Kenya Climate Change and Health Strategy 2024-2029

Sustainable climate-resilient healthcare: Kenya Climate Change and Health Strategy 2024-2029
Prime cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi gives a speech during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku on November 13, 2024
Prime cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi gives a speech during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku on November 13, 2024

Kenya has rolled out an elaborate Climate Change and Health Strategy that will guide efforts in building sustainable climate-resilient healthcare.

Health systems in the country face direct climate impacts including the spread of water-borne diseases, vector borne diseases and heightened malnutrition risks.

With the country experiencing floods to drought and reduced rainfall, vulnerable populations have borne the brunt of climate impacts.

Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muthoni noted that these health challenges particularly affecting vulnerable populations underscore the urgent need for climate resilient health systems.

Recommended For You
Lifestyle
2025-03-18T12:40:12+00:00
Rachel Ruto is no stranger to making bold yet elegant fashion statements, but during the state visit of the Dutch royals on March 18, 2025, it wasn’t just her outfit that stood out—it was her shoes. The Kenyan First Lady stepped out in a pair of brown suede block heels adorned with a gold emblem.
The Sh83K shoes that completed Rachel Ruto’s State Visit look
Lifestyle
2025-03-18T12:55:11+00:00
The dynamics of in-law relationships in Kenya have evolved, with urban and rural settings experiencing different levels of transformation. While rural areas still uphold many traditional expectations, urban settings have embraced modern lifestyles
A mother and daughter-in-law hanging out together

The Kenya Climate Change and Health Strategy 2024-2029 developed by the Ministry of Health outlines guides efforts to build sustainable and resilient healthcare.

7 priority areas

Kenya Climate Change and Health Strategy for 2024-2029 has identified seven critical Priority Areas vital to its implementation.

  1. Healthy energy transition and air quality: Our focus should be on promoting cleaner and sustainable energy sources to reduce air pollution.
  2. Sustainable and healthy food systems: Emphasising on the need to build robust, healthy, and sustainable food systems which enhance both human and planetary health.
  3. Water sanitation and healthcare waste management: Prioritising clean water access, sanitation services, and effective healthcare waste management strategies.
  4. Health risks and impact assessments, education, and awareness: Conducting thorough health risks assessments and focusing on enhancing awareness about their impacts.
  5. Healthcare resilience and disease surveillance: Building a resilient healthcare system and encouraging proactive disease surveillance and response systems.
  6. Health research and policy development: Undertaking significant health research to aid in robust policy development and implementation.
  7. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL): Ensuring consistent monitoring and evaluation of our actions, fostering accountability, and promoting learning.

COP 29 and innovative financing

Leveraging on COP 29, the PS noted that the country is mobilizing resources and establishing new partnerships to enhance Kenya’s capacity to respond to climate impacts on health.

“COP 29 provides a strategic platform for building partnerships to enhance these efforts. We are focused on establishing collaborations with global leaders, partners and financing institutions to secure the investments necessary for resilient healthcare.

We aim to mobilize resources to advance our climate health initiatives and explore innovative financing opportunities that will bolster our capacity to respond to climate impacts on health.” The PS noted.

Kenya’s pivotal role at COP29

As the chair of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), Kenya has taken the lead in championing the continent’s agenda at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Led by climate envoy Ambassador Ali Mohamed, AGN is pushing for $ 1.3 trillion to compensate for losses and damages caused by the impacts of climate change.

The negotiation team has a number of distinguished Kenyans including

Dr. George Wamukoya and Joyce Kimtai.

Subscribe to receive daily news updates.