Health lobby opens regional hub in Nairobi

VillageReach has expanded its continental footprint by opening an Africa Regional Hub in Nairobi.

The establishment of the hub aligns with VillageReach's 2030 strategy of addressing healthcare inequities for 350 million people globally.

The official opening of the hub took place on Wednesday at Riverside in Nairobi. 

VillageReach's CEO and President Emily Bancroft said the hub will increase collaboration and streamline operational support to its country teams and partners across the 15 countries it has a presence in.

"As a locally driven and globally connected organization, we have long been committed to increasing placement of leadership presence and allocating resources closer to our work," Bancroft said. 

She noted that 73 per cent of VillageReach's global staff are spread throughout Africa. 

She said having a strategic centre in Africa to support their work ensures that VillageReach is prepared to deliver on their new 2030 Strategy. 

VillageReach started working in Kenya five years ago and has been working in health systems in Africa for more than 20 years. 

Bancroft said judging from their work, one of the qualities of the best healthcare systems is they make health products and services available even to the hardest-to-reach people. 

"They adapt to shocks, strains and changes in demand – something so important today. And they are responsive to people’s needs and preferences," she said. 

VillageReach Vice President of Partnerships and Impact, Claudia Shilumani, said Kenya was selected as the Africa Regional Hub due to its strategic positioning. 

“We are confident in the country’s ability to contribute significantly to progress in the global health sector and look forward to deep collaborations with the Ministry of Health in Kenya," Shilumani said. 

VillageReach is already working closely with the Kenyan Ministry of Health to expand the country’s Health Hotline capabilities and reach.

The partnership extends to tackling polio outbreaks, where they work jointly to improve the sample transportation processes, ensure swift and high-quality sample delivery from community health centres to national and international laboratories.

VillageReach is also partnering with MoH in Migori County and Lwala Community Alliance to ensure community health workers have seamless access to essential health products.

MoH's Head of Directorate of Health Promotion and Education Gladys Mugambi said VillageReach's focus of utilising technology to enhance access to health information aligns with Kenya's goals.

"We appreciate VillageReach's commitment to employing data-driven approaches for supply chain improvement, addressing human resource gaps and strengthening health worker skills," she said.