Kenya has made an advancement in inclusive healthcare through the introduction of a Cochlear Implant Programme at Kenyatta National Hospital, a partnership between First Lady Rachel Ruto and Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmaa of Morocco.

The programme was officially launched by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale alongside the First Lady and the Moroccan Princess, marking a pivotal moment in widening access to specialized hearing treatment for children living with disabilities.

The initiative, which is worth more than Ksh. 120 million, delivers 70 cochlear implants and reflects a united vision to enhance pediatric hearing services and advance inclusive healthcare throughout the nation.

The launch concluded a week-long medical mission where 25 children received cochlear implant procedures, with plans to reach 50 recipients overall. The collaboration brought together Moroccan surgeons and Kenyan ENT specialists at KNH in a demonstration of effective South-South healthcare partnership.

CS Duale reiterated the Ministry’s dedication to strengthening ear and hearing care as a fundamental element of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). He highlighted that cochlear implant procedures are now incorporated in the Social Health Authority (SHA) benefit package at a cost of Ksh. 358,400, shielding families from devastating medical bills.

The implants have been added to the Kenya Essential Medical Supplies List (2023) for Level 5 and 6 hospitals, with continued work to ensure their availability through KEMSA. Additionally, the Ministry has supplied hearing devices and diagnostic tools to over 25 health facilities countrywide through the AT Scale Project, restoring hearing and changing lives.

The occasion also featured the formalization of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Kenya and Morocco, strengthening ties between the Kenya Voice of Children Foundation and the Princess Lalla Asmaa Foundation.