Kenya trains health scientists, others reap the rewards

Principal Secretary Science Research and Innovation Prof.Sahukat Abdulrazak interact with over 200 fresh graduates during a research career open day 2025 in Nairobi. [Benard Orwongo]

Kenya’s effort to build a strong pipeline of health researchers faces a major hurdle as many trained scientists leave the country for better opportunities abroad, officials and experts noted during a health research career open day in Nairobi.

At least 200 recent graduates from universities across Kenya attended the event, organised by the Africa Leadership for Measuring Brain Health in Children and Adolescents (ALMA), the Initiative to Develop African Research Leaders (IDeAL), and the Sub-Saharan Africa Advanced Consortium for Biostatistics (SSACAB).

The meeting was presided over by Principal Secretary for Science, Research and Innovation Shaukat Abdulrazak, who warned that Africa’s reliance on foreign-led research would persist unless more scientists are trained and retained locally.

“This open day is a space for knowledge-sharing, mentorship and building networks that can help graduates succeed in research careers here at home,” Abdulrazak observed.

IDeAL Director Samson Kinyanjui explained that while training capacity has grown, many skilled researchers still relocate due to limited funding and research infrastructure.

“Our frameworks to attract, train, retain and transform are designed to build sustainable research capacity in Africa,” Kinyanjui noted. “However, we cannot ignore the reality that without adequate local opportunities, we risk losing this talent to other regions.”

The organisers run programmes offering scholarships, fellowships and mentorship for undergraduate, postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers, placing them in institutions such as the Kenya Medical Research Institute-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) and the Institute for Human Development (IHD).

ALMA Co-Director Ronald Kipkurui stressed that a lack of local neuroscience capacity has left gaps in understanding childhood and adolescent brain development.

“Events like today’s open day are critical for sparking interest in brain health research,” Kipkurui explained. “But the real challenge is ensuring the skills we develop remain in Africa.”

SSACAB said it is working to improve statistical capacity and evidence-based health policy across the region, but called for stronger government investment to anchor skilled professionals in local institutions.

The three consortia form part of the Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training and Science (DELTAS) Africa Phase 2 initiative, supported by the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA) with funding from Wellcome Trust and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).