The Kenya National Public Health Institute [KNPHI] leadership led by Acting Director General Dr Kamene Kimenye held a meeting with US-CDC Division of Global Migration Health (DGMH) to strengthen strategic collaboration, assess ongoing border health efforts, and identify opportunities to better align regional work with DGMH priorities.

The DGMH team led by Director Dr. David Fitter reiterated their commitment of helping Kenya build sustainable, resilient systems for global health security, through robust fostering of science-based, centralized, and coordinated public health functions key in improving detection, prevention, and response to health threats.

Dr Kamene affirmed the significant role played by Port Health services in safeguarding border and migration health courtesy of being first line of defence against introduction of public health events and risks associated with international trade and travel thus prevent cross-border spread of infectious diseases at designated entry points. 

Among the proposed support areas include;

* Implementation of JEE recommendations
* Modelling tools for disease importation risk
* Development of a regional SIMEX manual and conducting joint exercises
* Regional information sharing protocols & data system interoperability at POEs
* Conducting PopCABs to document population movement
* Geo-fenced communication
* Procurement of PPE, ambulances, utility vehicles and response commodities

Kenya is a country of origin, transit, destination, and return thus Migration Health is central to:

* Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA)
* Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
* Shirika Plan
* National Health Security Agenda
* One Health

Kenya has a total of 35 gazetted POEs and numerous informal crossing points and designated POEs for IHR core capacities maintenance.