Digital health takes center stage as Nairobi hosts WHX event

Nairobi on Tuesday night played host to a high-level gathering of regional and international health leaders, technology innovators, and policymakers at the WHX Networking Event.

Held under the theme ‘The Digital Health Triangle: Universal Health Coverage, Primary Healthcare, and HealthTech,’ the event signaled Kenya’s growing role as a regional hub for health innovation in East Africa.

This strategic forum served as a prelude to the main WHX Nairobi Expo scheduled for October, drawing participants from across East Africa to engage in meaningful dialogue on how digital technologies can be harnessed to transform healthcare delivery.

Key discussions focused on how digital health tools can be integrated into national health strategies—especially within primary healthcare systems—to accelerate progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Stakeholders emphasized that embracing innovation is not only essential for improving access to quality care but also for enhancing system efficiency and reducing long-term healthcare costs.

The event comes at a time when Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced the suspension of Outpatient Therapeutic Programme (OTP) operations in many healthcare facilities across the country—a move that has sparked debate on the sustainability and resilience of Kenya’s health system.

As preparations for the WHX Nairobi Expo in October intensify, stakeholders are calling for robust investment in digital health infrastructure, policy reforms, and public-private partnerships to ensure that technology plays a central role in achieving health equity and delivering on the promise of UHC.