CEMA-Africa

07/11/2025

What a rigorous and productive week for the Benefits Package and Tariffs Advisory Panel Secretariat! The five-day Health Technology Assessment (HTA) writing workshop in Nakuru brought together rich discussions, collaborative brainstorming, insightful presentations, and hands-on writing sessions—all focused on strengthening and streamlining the Panel’s processes.

As we conclude the week, Dr. Tabitha Okech, HTA Specialist and member of the Secretariat, reflected on the significance of the workshop:

“This workshop brought together multisectoral engagement—we had voices from national and county governments, and panel representatives from diverse sectors including research, academic institutions, and legal. I am happy that through this collaboration, we were able to institutionalize HTA governance and anticipate challenges. We also built structures and developed a stakeholder and communications strategy. This session was truly fruitful in charting the way forward.”

We remain committed to strengthening efficient, evidence-driven systems that ensure all Kenyans can access high-quality, cost-effective healthcare interventions.

06/11/2025

The 20th International Biomedical and Biotechnology Conference took place last week at Ole Sereni Hotel, Nairobi, bringing together leading researchers, innovators, and policymakers to explore cutting-edge solutions in biomedical research.

CEMA was represented by Winnie Kulei, a PhD Fellow, and a key highlight was her sterling presentation on “The Impact of Ceiling Nets on Malaria Prevention in Kenya.”

One of the key messages she highlighted was the need for integrated approaches towards the elimination of malaria in Kenya. She demonstrated a significant reduction in indoor mosquito density and human-vector contact following the introduction of ceiling nets- a novel household intervention providing an effective complementary tool to conventional bed nets in sustaining malaria control gains.

Together, these insights reinforce the urgent need for innovative, data-driven solutions to accelerate Kenya’s journey toward malaria elimination.

05/11/2025

Meet Abigael Gachemi, one of CEMA’s rising Data Science talents!

For this week’s , Abigael takes us inside her world—what sparked her passion for science and health, what a data science intern’s day really looks like, and how CEMA is helping her shape a bold vision for her future.

“My day typically entails meetings with my supervisors, peers, and stakeholders to review our work, coding, and a lot of reading for data extraction,” says Abigael.

At CEMA, in addition to strengthening Africa’s health systems—we’re investing in the next generation of experts who will lead the continent’s health transformation using data. Empowering young scientists like Abigael is key to building a healthier, more resilient Africa.

Watch the video to meet Abigael and get inspired.

04/11/2025

This week, the Secretariat for the Benefits Package and Tariffs Advisory Panel (BPTAP) is convening a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) workshop in Nakuru to establish clear rules of engagement within the Panel and with stakeholders.

By the end of the week, five key documents will be developed: a Stakeholder Engagement Plan, a Communications Plan, an HTA Roadmap, HTA process templates, and a proposed oncology benefits package.

Together, these tools are designed to streamline processes, strengthen coordination, and ensure a transparent, evidence-based approach to developing Kenya’s health benefits package.

03/11/2025

Today is One Health Day.

The One Health approach recognizes that the health of people, animals, and the environment are interconnected. This means that threats to one can quickly become threats to all.

That’s why collaboration across all sectors is critical.

At CEMA, we’re committed to turning research into action. Because there is only One Health, and protecting it is a shared responsibility.

Join us in championing a unified One Health approach. Together, we can build healthier, more resilient communities.

30/10/2025

As the stakeholders’ workshop convened by the Benefits Package and Tariffs Advisory Panel (BPTAP) continues this week — and as Kenya advances towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), a key pillar of the government’s Big 4 Agenda — an inclusive and evidence-based process is underway to determine which services and treatments will be covered under the Essential Health Benefits Package (EHBP).

At the heart of this effort is the BPTAP, which applies Health Technology Assessment (HTA) to ensure that every decision is inclusive, data-driven, and sustainable.

Speaking to Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), Prof. Walter Jaoko, Chairperson of the BPTAP, explained the rigorous process behind reviewing Kenya’s Essential Health Benefits Package.

“My plea to people and professional organizations is to take advantage of these processes so that we can all be part of shaping Kenya’s health priorities,” said Prof. Jaoko.

This participatory approach ensures Kenya’s UHC journey remains inclusive, transparent, and people-centered.

Watch full conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HorlqC0JncA

29/10/2025

We’re building Africa’s next generation of data experts!

This week’s features Vincent Kongo, a Data Science Intern at CEMA, who shares how his experience is shaping his career path — and how young people can harness technology and creativity to improve health outcomes across Africa.

At CEMA, we believe that local data and local talent are key to solving Africa’s most pressing health challenges — from infectious disease modeling to health systems strengthening.

Watch Vincent’s story and see how young innovators are driving Africa’s data revolution.

28/10/2025

This week, the Benefits Package and Tariffs Advisory Panel (BPTAP) — supported by the Ministry of Health and the University of Nairobi — is convening a stakeholders’ workshop bringing together 200+ participants from government, academia, healthcare, private sector, civil society, patient groups, and development partners.

The workshop aims to foster transparent, inclusive, and evidence-based dialogue on Health Technology Assessment (HTA) in Kenya — ensuring collaborative decisions that shape the country’s Social Health Insurance framework and beyond.

The opening session featured representatives from the Ministry of Health, University of Nairobi, Kenyatta National Hospital., Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching & Referral Hospital, Mathari National Teaching & Referral Hospital, National Syndemic Disease Control Council, National Spinal Injury Referral Hospital, and NEPHAR.

Dr. Joel Gondi from the Ministry of Health encouraged stakeholders to appreciate the HTA process and submit proposals on areas they'd like the package reviewed.

Inclusive dialogue is the foundation of stronger, fairer, and more sustainable health systems. When all voices are heard, we build a healthier Kenya.

27/10/2025

Developing countries—especially in Africa—are disproportionately affected by climate change, with its impacts on public health, food security, and the environment fueling disease outbreaks such as malaria, dengue, and cholera.

Last week, Dr. Josphat Muema, PhD, a Postdoctoral Fellow at CEMA, represented us at the Pan-African Conference on Environment, Climate Change and Health (21–24 October), held under the theme “Harnessing Science, Policy, and Partnerships for Environmental Sustainability and Climate-Health Resilience.”

Dr. Muema participated as a panelist in a side event on Quantifying Climate Vulnerability & Adaptation Assessment, hosted by the TNO alongside Amref Health Africa.

🔹 He shared CEMA’s work in data analytics and modeling to inform health decision-making across Africa.

🔹 He highlighted CEMA’s multidisciplinary expertise to support quantitative climate vulnerability and adaptation assessments.

🔹 He led discussions on defining next steps to advance quantitative approaches in this area.

He also joined a session on Unlocking Climate Finance for Health: Challenges and Opportunities, hosted by International Development Research Centre (IDRC), featuring speakers from Elrha, GreenMax Capital Group, Wellcome Trust, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the Green Climate Fund.

The discussion underscored the need to bridge gaps between the health and climate sectors and explored key financing opportunities, including UNITAID’s Climate and Health call on heat-stable health products (https://shorturl.at/FMEVf), as well as support from the Green Climate Fund and philanthropic partners such as the Wellcome Trust and The Rockefeller Foundation.

CEMA remains committed to partnerships that connect data, science, and policy to strengthen Africa’s resilience against health threats — including those driven by climate change

24/10/2025

Breast Cancer Screening Saves Lives!

This month (October) is Breast Cancer Awareness Month — a reminder that awareness is power, and early detection saves lives.

Here’s why you should get screened today:

☑️ Early detection = higher survival rates
☑️ Less invasive treatment
☑️ Better quality of life
☑️ More treatment options
☑️ Prevents the cancer from spreading

If you haven’t been screened yet, run to a health facility.

Your health matters.

hashtag hashtag

23/10/2025

Every year, rabies silently kills children across East Africa, even though it is 100% preventable.

Dr. Gurdeep Jaswant's op-ed published in AllAfrica Global Media, makes a powerful case for why African countries must invest in genomic surveillance to accelerate rabies elimination and save lives.

"Genomic surveillance makes control efforts smarter and cheaper. Simply put, it is like reading the virus’ recipe or instruction manual, letter by letter. By doing this, scientists can figure out where the virus came from, how it travels from place to place, and why it keeps showing up in certain areas," says Dr. Gurdeep.

She argues that with portable and affordable sequencing tools now within reach, science, investment, and political will must converge to make the 2030 goal of zero human deaths from rabies a reality.

🔗 Read the full piece here: https://allafrica.com/stories/202510230290.html

Guest Column - Every year, rabies silently kills children across East Africa, even though it is one of the few infectious diseases that is 100% preventable. Globally, rabies causes approximately 59,000 deaths a year, mainly in Africa and Asia. In Kenya, 99% of human cases are attributed to dog bites...

22/10/2025

As and continue at the University of Nairobi, today’s shines on Muchiri Antony — an Assistant Research Fellow at with a background in software engineering.

In the video below, Antony shares what inspired his journey into the health sector and what a typical day looks like for a software engineer working to strengthen Kenya’s health systems.

The future of Kenya lies not only in what we see today, but in how we learn, innovate, and apply knowledge.

At , we turn data into actionable insights that empower policymakers to make informed health decisions.

📍Remember to visit our booth at the University of Nairobi to learn more about our work and meet the team behind the innovation.