Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced plans to tighten Kenya’s tobacco control laws.
Speaking after a meeting with a World Health Organisation (WHO) delegation at Afya House, Nairobi, Duale said Kenya is working to align its regulations with global standards.
“In a strategic move to strengthen Kenya’s response to the growing public health threat posed by tobacco use,” said Duale, “we held a bilateral meeting with the World Health Organisation (WHO) delegation led by Dr Abdourahmane Diallo, WHO Country Representative and Chief of Mission, Kenya.”
The meeting focused on advancing Kenya’s tobacco control efforts and fast-tracking proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Bill.
“These amendments aim to modernise Kenya’s legal framework to more effectively govern the production, sale, advertising, and consumption of tobacco products,” Duale stated.
The WHO pledged to support Kenya in strengthening national laboratory capacity for independent verification of tobacco products. This measure is aimed at improving oversight and protecting public health.
Duale briefed the delegation on Kenya’s progress and asked WHO to help with a structured review of the Tobacco Control Act (2007) and its Regulations.
He called for joint efforts to improve enforcement at the county level. These include “updated inspection protocols, local capacity building, enhanced cessation services, and integration of tobacco control into the Ministry’s expanding digital health superhighway.”
WHO highlighted the successful shift of more than 9,000 farmers from tobacco to high-iron beans and other crops. The move supports health and economic development goals.
The Health CS reaffirmed Kenya’s dedication to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
He underscored “the government’s constitutional responsibility to safeguard the right to the highest attainable standard of health.”
Duale was accompanied by Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, Director General for Health, Dr Patrick Amoth, Dr Vinayak Prasad, and other senior officials.
