Strengthening Capacity of Health Professionals to Address Kenya’s Rising Burden of Cardiometabolic Diseases

Executive Summary

Limited faculty capacity, outdated curricula, inadequate research infrastructure, and weak knowledge translation mechanisms are undermining the ability of Kenya’s medical training colleges (MTCs) to prepare health professionals to manage the growing burden of cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs). This challenge threatens the country’s capacity to deliver effective, evidence-based care, especially in underserved areas.

The Partnership for Education of Health  Professionals (PEP) program seeks to address these gaps by strengthening institutional capacity within MTCs. Through curriculum reform, interdisciplinary training, faculty development, and strategic research support, PEP aims to build a responsive and well-equipped health workforce to tackle the rising CMD crisis.

This brief highlights the urgent need to revise pre-service training curricula, invest in faculty capacity, and establish mechanisms for knowledge translation. It calls for sustained policy support and investment to drive long-term reforms in health professional education and strengthen Kenya’s broader health system.