He said Africa must no longer be seen as a continent of persistent health challenges but as a source of scalable solutions shaping the global health agenda. 

Opening the 2026 World Health Summit Regional Meeting in Nairobi, President Ruto stressed the need for a decisive shift from piecemeal responses to comprehensive strategies supported by both domestic and international investment. 

The three?day summit, hosted by Aga Khan University in partnership with the World Health Organization, Kenya’s Ministry of Health and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, has drawn more than 2,000 health leaders, policymakers, researchers and development partners from over 50 countries. 

Held under the theme “Reimagining Africa’s Health Systems: Innovation, Integration and Interdependence,” the meeting features over 80 sessions on health financing, workforce development, digital innovation, climate and health, and pandemic preparedness. 

Professor Axel Pries, President of the World Health Summit, said the Nairobi meeting reflected Africa’s growing role in shaping the global health agenda.  

He noted that the summit aimed to move beyond dialogue and translate discussions into practical action to strengthen health systems regionally and globally. 

Professor Lukoye Atwoli, Dean of the Aga Khan University Medical College, said hosting the summit in Africa marked a major shift, with African institutions, researchers and policymakers becoming co?authors of global health policy rather than passive participants. 

Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin, President and Vice Chancellor of Aga Khan University, highlighted climate change, chronic diseases, limited financing and inequities as persistent challenges, but said Africa’s health sector was now better positioned to integrate systems, harness technology and train the workforce needed for quality care. 

Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said the summit would foster collaboration to strengthen primary health care and advance universal health coverage.  

He said that discussions would help create a blueprint for a coherent health ecosystem. 

Ms Mary Muthoni, Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, emphasised the importance of global health security for national stability and called for stronger pandemic preparedness. 

Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General, Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said Africa’s health sovereignty depended on its ability to finance and build resilient systems at scale. He described the summit as a critical platform for mobilising investment, strengthening partnerships and advancing African?led solutions to reduce dependency and improve access to quality healthcare. 

The World Health Summit Regional Meeting continues until Thursday, with further discussions expected on multilateral cooperation and strategies to improve health outcomes across Africa and beyond.