The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, through its Catholic Health Department, in partnership with the Novo Nordisk Foundation, has launched a new four-year phase of the Partnership for Education of Health Professionals (PEP) programme, backed by a USD 9.4 million grant, to strengthen the training of health workers in the prevention and management of cardiometabolic diseases in Kenya.
The initiative is expected to reach more than 1,910 faculty members and 12,862 students across medical training institutions nationwide, positioning it as a major investment in building a resilient and future-ready health workforce.
According to Jacinta Mutegi, Head of Department at the Catholic Health Department, the programme comes at a critical time as Kenya faces a rising burden of non-communicable diseases alongside persistent infectious diseases. She emphasized that strengthening training institutions is key to developing a competent workforce capable of addressing evolving health challenges.
The programme brings together a broad consortium of partners, including the Christian Health Association of Kenya, Kenya Medical Training College, the Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance of Kenya, and the African Population and Health Research Centre, working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and relevant regulatory bodies.
Novo Nordisk Foundation Project Manager Emma Muraguri noted that strengthening education systems is central to building a workforce that can respond effectively to changing population health needs. She said the PEP programme focuses on reinforcing long-term institutional capacity and improving prevention and care for cardiometabolic diseases.
Key components of the programme include curriculum review and updates, expansion of targeted short courses, and capacity building for lecturers through mentorship and innovative teaching methods. It also prioritizes educational research and peer learning across institutions and counties to enhance training outcomes.
The new phase builds on earlier programme efforts that identified training gaps, reviewed curricula, and piloted short courses in selected institutions. These insights now inform a broader national rollout aimed at integrating cardiometabolic disease training into both pre-service and in-service education systems.
The Catholic Health Department, chaired by Cleophas Oseso, continues to provide strategic leadership in advancing the Church’s health mission in Kenya. Mutegi welcomed the partnership, noting that it strengthens efforts to harmonize training standards and improve healthcare delivery across the country.
Beyond Kenya, the programme forms part of a wider regional expansion into Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania, opening pathways for cross-country learning and shared innovation in health professional education.
Ultimately, the initiative is designed to strengthen prevention, early detection, and management of cardiometabolic diseases, contributing to a more responsive and better-prepared health system for Kenya’s future.
By Social Communications Team
