Health security relies on science, innovation, and equity measures

Health security relies on tackling evolving virus mutations. [File Courtesy]

Picture this: a disease outbreak is reported in a city in East Asia. Within a month, the world is in panic as infections spread rapidly and deaths mount. Three months later, the disease reached Kenya. A raft of measures follows: empty classrooms, sluggish markets, closed places of worship, paralysed tourism, shortages of medical supplies, and the loss of both lives and livelihoods.

This was the story of COVID-19. It is also a familiar pattern whenever infectious diseases are not prevented, detected and controlled early. It could be cholera, anthrax, Ebola virus disease or kala-azar. A health shock, left unchecked, quickly mutates into an economic, social and even national security crisis.

For too long, discussions about health have largely been confined to healthcare professionals and sector leaders. Yet, despite their importance, these conversations have not fully captured the critical link between health and national security.

The World Health Organisation defines health security as the set of proactive and reactive measures required to minimise the risk and impact of events that threaten public health. Such threats often traverse community, regional and international boundaries, ranging from disease outbreaks to natural disasters, all of which place immense strain on health systems.

At its core, health security is about a country’s ability to detect threats early, act decisively, protect lives and sustain productivity. In an era shaped by climate change, rapid urbanisation, population mobility and evolving pathogens, health security has become inseparable from economic resilience and national stability.

It is this imperative that informed the establishment of the Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI). Its mandate centres on coordinating the prevention, surveillance, detection and control of public health threats, while ensuring that evidence from research and routine data informs policy and advances universal health coverage. Modern challenges demand institutions capable of coordination, evidence and action.

Kenya still faces persistent gaps between evidence, policy and frontline implementation. Sectors usually work in silos. Useful research does not make its way to the decision-making table. Vulnerable communities remain exposed because systems are uneven across geographical areas and income levels.

Science plays a pivotal role. It strengthens surveillance, sharpens diagnostics, improves forecasting and enables decision-makers to act before isolated incidents escalate into national emergencies. It allows for a deeper understanding of disease patterns, identification of risk hotspots and evaluation of effective interventions. In doing so, it shifts the focus from reactive crisis management to proactive prevention and preparedness.

Innovation is equally vital. Kenya stands at a promising frontier in deploying digital health tools, data platforms, genomics and artificial intelligence. These technologies can accelerate outbreak detection, enhance coordination across counties and strengthen emergency responses.

Equity, however, remains the cornerstone. A health system is only as strong as its reach into marginalised communities, from arid counties to informal settlements. If access to information, testing and treatment is uneven, the entire nation remains at risk. Preparedness cannot be selective; it must be inclusive.

The Kenya Health Security Convention 2026, scheduled for May 5-8 in Mombasa, seeks to bring these issues into sharp focus. Under the theme “Advancing Health Security through Science, Innovation and Equity,” it aims to convene stakeholders for practical, solutions-driven dialogue.

Dr Kimenye is the acting Director General of the Kenya National Public Health Institute.