NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya is on the verge of becoming East Africa’s healthcare manufacturing hub following trends in the sector, spearheaded by the World Health Expo (WHX) in Nairobi.
The 10th edition of WHX in Nairobi, taking place at the Jomo Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), kicked off on Wednesday, September 16, bringing together healthcare companies, investors, policymakers and industry professionals from across the world.
Speaking during the official launch of the expo, Director for Primary Healthcare, Preventive and Promotive Health from the Ministry of Health Dr Joe Lenai said Kenya’s healthcare transformation requires a collaborative approach in acquiring proper technology and medical equipment.
“I urge manufacturers and suppliers to look beyond simply selling hardware and instead provide long-term technical support. Kenya and Africa at large must no longer be an equipment graveyard. Charting the based approach and investments will help reduce challenges caused by unavailable spare parts, inadequate maintenance and shortages of technical skills,” said Dr Lenai, during the press briefing attended by news9.africa.
WHX Nairobi 2026 theme
The three-day exhibition, running from September 16 to 18, 2026 under the theme “Together for a healthier world”, attracted more than 5,500 attendees and 200 exhibitors from over 30 countries.
According to WHX Nairobi Exhibition Manager Daniel Green, the expo creates a platform for healthcare businesses and stakeholders to explore investment, manufacturing, trade and cross-border partnership opportunities.
“World Health Expo in Nairobi is the largest exhibition in the East African region for medical devices, laboratory devices, pharmaceuticals and nutraceutical products. The growing number of international participation reflects the growing interest in Kenya and the wider East African healthcare market.
“At the moment, there is a huge interest in digital health and how technology can help support healthcare infrastructure, making access to medicines better and quicker to patients—not just in cities like Nairobi but also in rural areas,” Green affirmed.
World Health Expo (WHX) participants and exhibitors will share health technologies aimed at improving diagnosis, patient management and access to care, Artificial intelligence (AI)-supported diagnostics, telemedicine, electronic health records, hospital management systems and connected medical devices.
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