By Dorothy Musyoka
Kenya has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to creating healthier food environments and combating malnutrition across East Africa region.
Speaking at the close of the East Africa Regional Dialogue on Policies to Transform Markets for Nutritious Foods held in Mombasa, the Ministry of Health emphasized the urgent need for collective regional action to address the triple burden of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and rising obesity levels.
Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon. Aden Duale, represented by Dr. Joseph Lenai, Director of preventive and Promotive Health, highlighted the gravity of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Kenya, which currently account for 39% of deaths, over 50% of hospital admissions and 11% of the nation’s health expenditure.
In response, the government is prioritizing robust policy reforms aimed at transforming the national food environment.
“To counter this, Kenya is accelerating food environment policies, including: front-of-pack nutrition labelling and marketing restrictions on unhealthy foods, especially those targeting children,” stated Dr Lenai.
Additionally,Kenya is also stepping up cross-sectoral coordination and engaging East African Community (EAC) member states to align and strengthen legislative frameworks that support sustainable nutrition outcomes.
The regional forum, co-hosted by the Ministry of Health, African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) and the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI), brought together key stakeholders from government, civil society, academia and the private sector.
In his remarks, Dr. Lenai acknowledged the indispensable role of research institutions and civil society organizations in driving evidence-based nutrition policy, advocating for accountability and ensuring that nutrition reforms are rooted in local realities and scientific data.
As Kenya continues to lead these efforts, the Ministry of Health reiterated its commitment to building a resilient and inclusive food system that ensures all citizens.
“Kenya remains steadfast in building resilient food systems to guarantee safe, nutritious, and affordable diets for all its citizens,” reaffirmed MOH.
The dialogue served as a platform to review regional progress, share best practices and strategize for the development of equitable and nutritious food systems.