Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) will this month host health professionals, policymakers and academics from 17 African countries for the 2026 Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Mental Health Leadership and Advocacy Programme, positioning Nairobi at the centre of a continental push to strengthen mental health systems.
The two-week programme, running from April 20 to May 1, 2026, at the KMTC Nairobi Campus, marks the second consecutive year the college has hosted the flagship initiative under Africa CDC’s three-year Mental Health Leadership Programme.
Speaking ahead of the training, KMTC Chief Executive Officer Dr Kelly Oluoch said the college was prepared to build on last year’s experience.
“KMTC is proud to once again host this important continental programme. Our experience last year demonstrated our capacity to convene and train health leaders at scale. This initiative aligns with our broader mandate to strengthen health systems through quality training and strategic partnerships,” he said.
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Participants will be drawn from Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
The event targets psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, social workers, public health practitioners, policymakers, government officials, Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) leaders, researchers, academics, human resource professionals and leaders in media and education.
Deputy Director of Academics and Chair of the Planning Committee, Dr Nyawira Mwangi, said the training was structured to deliver practical results.
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“The programme is designed to equip participants with practical leadership and advocacy skills,” she said.
Key focus areas will include mental health policy and governance, leadership and advocacy, public health strategies, integration of mental health into primary healthcare and addressing stigma and systemic barriers.
The official opening ceremony is expected to be led by Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale, alongside delegates from participating countries.
By Benedict Aoya
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