Samuel Makau

BEYOND STRATEGIES: ENABLING LOCAL MANUFACTURING THROUGH POLICY AND ACTION​

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BEYOND STRATEGIES: ENABLING LOCAL MANUFACTURING THROUGH POLICY AND ACTION​ At the Eastern Africa Regional Global Health Security Summit (EARGHSS 2026), the session “Beyond Strategies: Enabling Local Manufacturing Through Policy and Action” confronted a familiar paradox in Africa’s pharmaceutical and vaccine ambitions: no shortage of strategies, yet persistent failure to deliver at scale. Opening the discussion, …

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EARGHSS 2026

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From Strategy to Action: Advancing Local Manufacturing and Health Security at EARGHSS 2026 The 2nd Eastern Africa Regional Global Health Security Summit (EARGHSS 2026) will convene policymakers, researchers, manufacturers, civil society, youth leaders, and development partners to advance practical, collaborative solutions for health security and local manufacturing in the region. The summit provides a platform …

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Conversations from UNEA 7

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Conversations from UNEA: Investing in Women and Youth Isn’t Just Right, It’s Smart Science By Sam Makau, Co-Moderator, UNEA-7 I had the privilege of co-steering a powerful conversation at the UNEA-7. The session, “Greening Our Horizons: Soroptimists Leading the Way,” with the theme Investing in Women & Youth. Restoring Ecosystems. Advancing Climate Policy.wasn’t just another panel. It …

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Bridging Health and Humanitarian Action Through Local Research and Development​

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Bridging Health and Humanitarian Action Through Local Research and Development The Coalition for Health Research and Development (CHReaD) joined leaders from governments, UN agencies, INGOs, and the private sector at the East African Regional Humanitarian Summit, hosted by EAHS Africa and the Kenya Red Cross Society. The discussions underscored a powerful truth: effective humanitarian response, …

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Mental wellness by design

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Mental health is one of Kenya’s most pressing but under-addressed health challenges. With rising cases of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and other conditions, communities are struggling — yet mental health remains severely underfunded, stigmatized, and under researched. This one-hour webinar, hosted by the Coalition for Health Research and Development (CHReaD), explores the critical intersection of …

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Kenya’s Health Manufacturing Strategy: From Dependency to Continental Leadership

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Kenya’s Health Manufacturing Strategy: From Dependency to Continental Leadership Africa’s healthcare vulnerability became undeniably clear during recent pandemics, with the continent importing 99% of vaccines and 90% of medications. This staggering dependency leaves African populations vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions that often neglect the continent’s evolving health needs. Kenya is pioneering a solution. The …

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Reflection: Charting Africa’s Path to Vaccine Self-Reliance

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Reflection: Charting Africa’s Path to Vaccine Self-Reliance As we launched the CHReaD Conversations series with “Rethinking Access: Perspectives on Local Vaccine Production in Africa,” our fire was ignited by both the urgency and optimism that permeated our discussions on April 30th. Dr. Njuguna’s stark reality check—Kenya importing 80% of its essential medicines—reminded us why this …

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Reflection: When Floods Expose Our Deepest Inequalities

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Reflection: When Floods Expose Our Deepest Inequalities Our second CHReaD Conversations webinar on May 28th, “Flooded Futures: Climate, Health and Gender Intersections,” crystallized a harsh reality: climate disasters don’t just destroy infrastructure, they strip away the most fundamental aspects of human dignity, particularly for women and girls. Tasnia Ahmed’s testimony from Bangladesh was both inspiring …

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Flooded Futures: Navigating the Changes of Climate, Health, and Research in Kenya

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Flooded Futures: Navigating the Changes of Climate, Health, and Research in Kenya Flooded Futures: Navigating the Changes of Climate, Health, and Research in KenyaKenya is grappling with the harsh realities of climate change. The 2025 Long Rains have unleashed devastating floods, displacing communities, disrupting health systems, and exposing deep gender inequalities, especially in maternal health. …

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Why Africa’s Health Innovation Agenda Needs Its Parliamentarians

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Why Africa’s Health Innovation Agenda Needs Its Parliamentarians Last week in Nairobi, a quiet but powerful conversation took place, one that could influence the direction of health innovation across the continent. Organized by the Global TB Caucus, the informal meeting brought together CHReaD (the Coalition for Health Research and Development) and Hon. Dr. Makombe, Chair …

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