🥳Save the date!Join us for an insightful webinar towards ICPD30 and achieving UHC with @ppd_aro .Don't miss out,please register @AmrefICD amref.zoom.us/webinar/regist… @Amref_Kenya @DianaTibesigwa @fprhknowledge @DocFaustine @ECSA_HC @eannaso @Icpd25YouthKE @ecsacon @BeatriceOkundi

A father’s weight before conception can shape a child’s metabolism. That imprint is carried in sperm. Jan-Wilhelm Kornfeld, Professor at the University of Southern Denmark, shows that excess weight in fathers alters microRNAs in sperm, tiny molecular switches that fine-tune which genes are turned on or off early in development. In mice, these changes impaired the offspring’s ability to regulate blood sugar and burn energy. Similar molecular signals were also found in sperm from overweight men. The work shifts attention to a period that is usually invisible in public health debates: the months and years before conception. Biology does not reset at fertilisation. It arrives with a memory. For families and clinicians, the study reframes responsibility and opportunity. Metabolic health is not only inherited through pregnancy but carried forward earlier, and by both parents. Read the full article on ScienceNews: sciencenews.dk/en/a-fathers-… ScienceNews is a platform providing articles, videos, and podcasts from the world of research. All content is based on research or researchers supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. #Metabolism #Epigenetics #HealthResearch #LifeScience

After 7 long years, surgical services are back at Bura Sub-County Hospital! A life-saving C-section, performed by a joint IC-MPDSR & Tana River team, marks a powerful peer-to-peer learning outcome in Tana River County. By sharing expertise across counties, the team restored dignity in healthcare hence reducing the long journey to Hola or Garissa. This is indeed a testament to what knowledge transfer, commitment and collaboration can achieve for every Kenyan. @EGodhana @Tanariver004 @IntercMPDSR #PeerLearning #KnowledgeTransfer #TanaRiver #MaternalHealth #HealthcareReform

Novo Nordisk Foundation is pleased to strengthen its commitment to advancing health education in East Africa. Through an investment of DKK 145 million, we are launching a new phase of the Partnership for Education of Health Professionals (PEP) in East Africa, dedicated to transforming the training of health professionals to better address cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Building on our current engagement in Kenya, the Foundation is scaling up its support for medical training colleges across the country. In partnership with local organisations, PEP will provide direct support to nearly 1,910 faculty members and 12,862 students. By modernising curricula, promoting evidence-based teaching and encouraging peer learning, the aim is to expand quality care for underserved communities. Expanding across East Africa, the PEP initiative will cover Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia, supporting 55 training institutions and establishing 12 Centres of Excellence. With Amref Health Africa leading the regional implementation, the initiative is set to train over 28,500 health professionals and reach more than 72,800 students, emphasising digital learning, simulation-based training and mentorship. Through this and other initiatives, Novo Nordisk Foundation remains committed to supporting locally led solutions and fostering lasting health equity.

Help bring this session to SOCAP (Social Capital Markets), a leading global impact investing event. 👉 Vote for "Beyond Shortages: Co-Creating an AI-Enabled Health Workforce" by April 26: bit.ly/4tiY33e #SOCAP26 #ImpactInvesting #GlobalHealth #Africa

Cancer is rising fast across Africa, and for too many families, it is both a health crisis and a financial one. High out-of-pocket costs push households into poverty, while health systems struggle to provide consistent, quality care. At #WHSRegionalMeeting, @Amref_Worldwide and @Roche are co-hosting a critical conversation: How can financing systems be redesigned to deliver equitable, people-centred #CancerCare? The session will examine how countries can transition from fragmented, short-term models to coherent, sustainable financing for long-term impact. Register via the link below to join us to be part of the conversation shaping the future of cancer care in Africa. 🔗 amref.zoom.us/webinar/regist… #AmrefAtWHSRM #WHSRM @WHO @AKUGlobal @WorldHealthSmt

KMTC to recruit additional lecturers to strengthen training capacity The Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) is set to recruit additional lecturers to improve student-to-staff ratios and enhance the quality of training. The government is prioritising the expansion of the healthcare workforce as part of efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). H.E. President William Ruto said the government will allocate resources in the next financial year to support the recruitment of lecturers. “For us to effectively realise our UHC agenda, we will require more health professionals. This can only be achieved when we have adequate lecturers to train our students,” he said. The President noted that the College has already made progress in staff expansion, with 600 personnel recruited in 2025 following a presidential directive. The Presidnt was speaking on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, during the official opening of KMTC Gucha Campus. Dr. Ruto, who is on a meet-the-people tour of the Gusii region, also announced a series of development projects for KMTC campuses. These include the construction of affordable housing units at Nyamache and Nyamira campuses, as well as the development of lecture halls to support academic programmes. He was accompanied by Kisii County Governor Hon. Simba Arati, Cabinet Secretary for Education Hon. Julius Ogamba, and Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards Ms. Mary Muthoni, among other leaders. At the campus, he was received by KMTC Board Chairperson Mr. Joseah K. Cheruiyot, CEO Dr. Kelly Oluoch, Board Directors Ms. Hardlyne Lusui and Eng. Joseph Atonga, Deputy Director Academics Dr. Nyawira Mwangi, Registrar Mr. Ronald Wasike, and Nyamache Campus Principal Mr. Tom Oogo. ...Ends

NCD Academy is an online platform that delivers free education and training on a range of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) to health professionals worldwide in different settings 🌍 🎥Learn more about this programme and how it helps #ActOnNCDs for everyone everywhere here 👉 youtube.com/watch?v=a-VhR1jS… NCD Academy was created by @ACCinTouch, in partnership with NCD Alliance and @worldheartfed, and with support from @ViatrisInc

The greatest challenge in African healthcare is not training health workers but retaining them. Graduates need more than qualifications; they need support and chances to apply their skills where communities need them most. "WHO projects that Africa might face a shortage of 5.1 to 6 million health workers by 2030, yet one in three health graduates is unemployed". - Isaac Ntwiga, Health Workforce Ecosystem Director, @Amref_Worldwide #Amref4PHC #HWWe3k2026 #HealthForAll @MastercardFdn @WHO @AfricaCDC

Today is #WorldHealthDay! Health workers, such as nurses, primary care physicians, pharmacists and community health workers, are on the frontlines of delivering an equitable response to NCDs and building strong health systems. Learn about how @novonordiskfond and @eancdalliance are transforming health worker education to support integrated, patient-centred NCD prevention and care here: pulse.ly/rsvmpou5pr #HealthWorkerWeek #WHWWeek #ActOnNCDs

Investing in #healthworkers is one of the smartest decisions any government can make. For every $1 invested, the return is $19, making it not just a moral imperative, but a powerful economic opportunity. Health workers are the backbone of every functional health system. They connect communities to care, close access gaps, and keep systems running, even in the toughest conditions. When crises strike, they are the first to respond, protecting lives, containing outbreaks, and safeguarding communities. Without health workers, there is no #health system. #Amref4PHC #HWWeek2026 #UHC #HealthForAll @MastercardFdn @WHO @GatesAfrica

As highlighted by Health Business, Kenya continues to face unacceptably high maternal and newborn mortality, despite significant progress in expanding access to care. The reality is clear: access alone is not enoughquality, equity, and system readiness are what save lives. At the International Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Conference (IMNHC 2026), experts emphasized that the survival of mothers and newborns is the clearest reflection of the strength of our health systems. Persistent challenges ranging from workforce shortages and weak referral systems to commodity stock-outs and funding gaps continue to cost lives. Because No woman should die giving life and no newborn should be denied a chance to live. 🔗 Read more: healthbusiness.co.ke/10094/k… #KOGSNawe #KOGSAT50 #MaternalHealth #NewbornHealth #EndPreventableDeaths #IMNHC2026 #HealthSystems #KenyaHealth

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄? Africa’s health leaders meet at the ECSA-HC Best Practices Forum to drive innovation and stronger health systems. Join us at the 16th Best Practices Forum & 32nd DJCC Meeting and be part of advancing: ✔️ Health Security ✔️ Innovation ✔️ Sustainability 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀: 🔹 Health Security & Pandemic Preparedness 🔹 Digital Health & AI 🔹 Youth & Demographic Dividend 🔹 Global Health Diplomacy 🔹 Financing & Partnerships 🔹 Research & Innovation 🔹 Quality of Care & Patient Safety 📍 Ezulwini, Eswatini | 📅 3rd–7th August 2026 𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦: 🔗 events.ecsahc.org #BPF2026 #CallForAbstracts #ECSAHC

A side event on sustaining quality improvement in maternal and newborn care at #IMNHC2026 featured case reports from Ghana, Nepal, Tajikistan and Côte d’Ivoire, demonstrating how continuous and simulation-based training, competency assessment, mentorship and supportive supervision are strengthening care outcomes. Discussions also reinforced the importance of data sharing across facilities to improve learning, track progress and enable timely, evidence-driven action.

Imagine enduring nine miscarriages and still finding the strength to hope again. Now imagine carrying a high-risk pregnancy, uncertain of the outcome, yet choosing to trust a health system to guide you through every step. This is what Bungoma County has made possible for mothers through strengthened Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) system. This system has transformed maternal and newborn care through better monitoring, timely referrals, and improved neonatal services. Monica, one of the mothers' from the County, has greatly benefitted from this initiative. Her high-risk pregnancy was closely managed, and when she delivered prematurely, her baby received the specialized care needed to survive, demonstrating how a responsive health system can turn risk into hope. Read more about this hope-restoring story on: maarifa.cog.go.ke/county-ini… @GovKenLusaka @BungomaCountyKe #MPDSR #MaternalHealth #NewbornHealth #HealthcareInnovation #Devolution #MaarifaCentre

How much do we spend on improving human health? Or advancing the green transition? And where in the world does the money go? Find out in our 2025 Year in Review: novonordiskfonden.dk/app/upl…

Our international work is growing – because global challenges need global solutions. Find out more about where the money goes in our 2025 Year in Review: novonordiskfonden.dk/app/upl…

What does it take for companies and universities to solve food system challenges together, openly? Launched in 2023, Plant2Food is an international open innovation platform accelerating the shift to healthier, more sustainable plant‑based foods through IP‑free, early‑stage research. By bringing companies and universities together and sharing results openly, Plant2Food contributes to science‑driven innovation for human and planetary health. Explore more stories and numbers that show how our work benefits people and the planet: novonordiskfonden.dk/en/our-…

The 2026–2028 implementation phase of the CHAK Bread for the World Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (#RMNCAH) Project places deliberate emphasis on strengthening gender and disability inclusion in the delivery of sexual and reproductive health services. This week, CHAK teams conducted a baseline assessment and held focused group discussions with adolescents (boys and girls) and adults (men and women), including persons with disabilities, at AIC Isiolo Health Centre and AIPCA Waso Health Centre in Isiolo County. The baseline exercise is designed to establish what is currently happening on the ground before planned interventions begin, enabling accurate measurement of progress and impact throughout implementation. CHAK is working closely with Community Health Promoters (CHPs), Community Health Assistants (CHAs), and Sub-County Community Health Strategy focal persons to strengthen service delivery at community level. We remain committed to increasing #access to and improving the quality of reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health services, including #HIVcare,#diabetes and #hypertension management in pregnancy, in line with Kenya’s FP/RMNCAH Investment Framework (2015). #InclusiveHealth #RMNCAH #GenderInclusion #DisabilityInclusion

This week, the CHAK–Jamii Tekelezi Program was privileged to host a successful U.S Department of State (DoS) visit in Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties. The delegation commended the program for the effective implementation of the County Mentorship and Transition (#CMaT) model, noting its significant contribution to #strengtheninghealthsystems and improving the quality of HIV services at facility and community levels. Key highlights from the discussions included: a) Strengthening the integration of HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment services to ensure seamless, client-centered service delivery. b) Strategic planning for the transition of services from Implementing Partners to County Governments to guarantee sustainability beyond donor support. Since the inception of the program in 2021, the CHAK–Jamii Tekelezi Program has worked closely with the County Health Management Teams (CHMTs) in both counties, supporting the implementation of HIV Prevention, Care & Treatment, and PMTCT services. This #Partnership continues to build resilient health systems and empower counties to sustainably lead HIV response efforts. We remain committed to walking this journey together —strengthening systems, empowering counties, and ensuring no one is left behind. #CHAKJamiiTekelezi #DoSVisit #CMaT #HIVPrevention #PMTCT #HealthSystemsStrengthening #CountyOwnership