Nairobi, Kenya | July 2025 — As Kenya grapples with a critical shortage of healthcare workers, two major events—WHX Nairobi and WHX Labs Nairobi—are stepping up to spearhead transformative conversations and solutions aimed at bolstering the country’s health workforce and advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
According to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) assessment, Kenya currently produces about 7,650 health workers annually, far below the required levels to serve its growing population. The country is facing a shortfall of 70,000 healthcare workers—a gap that could surge to 114,000 by 2030 and 170,000 by 2035 if urgent investments in training and recruitment are not made.
WHX Nairobi and WHX Labs Nairobi, the newly rebranded successors to Medic East Africa and Medlab East Africa, will run from October 6 to 8, 2025, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). These events bring together over 8,000 attendees, 300+ exhibitors, 65 international speakers, and representatives from 20 counties, in a concerted effort to forge sustainable, inclusive, and collaborative healthcare solutions.
“Kenya’s journey toward Universal Health Coverage is grounded in the principle of Primary Health Care,” said Desta Lakew, Group Director of Partnerships and External Affairs at AMREF Health Africa. “The WHX Nairobi roundtable has the potential to catalyse greater political goodwill and innovation toward scalable, people-first solutions that can be replicated across Africa.”
The need for urgent action is underscored by Kenya’s rising healthcare demands, driven by a population projected to surpass 63 million by 2030. While the health workforce is expanding at an annual rate of 3.4%, the demand for services is increasing at a faster pace of 4.7%. Recent budget cuts of KSh 38.7 billion to the health sector further complicate efforts to meet national health goals under Vision 2030 and the Health Sector Strategic Plan.
This year’s WHX Nairobi will debut the Healthcare Leaders Ministerial Roundtable, supported by President William Ruto and the Ministry of Health, convening policymakers, global health leaders, and innovators to tackle workforce deficits. Key areas of focus will include expanding medical education, incentivizing rural healthcare practice, enhancing lab science training, and strengthening public-private partnerships.
Distinguished guests expected at the summit include:
- Deborah Barasa, CS for Environment, Climate Change & Forestry
- Mary Muthoni Muriuki, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Health
- Lee Maiyani Kinyanjui, CS, Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry
- Dr. Mazyanga Lucy Mazaba, Regional Director, Africa CDC
- Hon. Beatrice Askul Moe, CS, East African Community Affairs
According to Tom Coleman, Portfolio Director at Informa Markets, WHX Nairobi is poised to “build on a legacy of seven years, unite key players, and accelerate improved health outcomes across Kenya and the East Africa region.”
The event’s robust agenda includes CPD-accredited conferences covering Healthcare Policy & Investment, Digital Health, Primary Healthcare, and a Leaders Forum. WHX Labs Nairobi will focus on addressing diagnostic workforce gaps with dedicated sessions on lab management, clinical microbiology, molecular diagnostics, and genomics.
A highlight of WHX Nairobi 2025 is the launch of two key social sustainability initiatives:
- Rays of Hope (in partnership with IAEA and GE Healthcare), aiming to bridge the region’s radiologist gap and expand cancer care access.
- Women 50/50, spearheaded by Philana Mugyenyi, focused on advancing gender parity in healthcare leadership roles.
Country pavilions from Egypt, South Africa, and Brazil will showcase cutting-edge healthcare innovations, offering attendees the opportunity to engage in live demonstrations, strike new partnerships, and explore the latest trends in digital health, diagnostics, and precision medicine.
As Kenya positions itself as a regional healthcare hub, WHX Nairobi and WHX Labs Nairobi are expected to not only shape future healthcare policy but also catalyze real-world solutions to East Africa’s most pressing healthcare workforce challenges.
