Dr. Neema Kaseje, Senior Scientist at TICH, will today be a speaker during the Keynote Plenary Session ‘Re-imagining Africa’s Health Systems in an Age of Polycrisis’ (11:30-13:00) at the World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. Other speakers joining her for this session are Prof. Mohamed Janabi (Regional Director, WHO AFRO), H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya (Director General, Africa CDC), Prof. Lukoye Atwoli (Dean, The Aga Khan University (AKU)), Prof. Ilona Kickbusch (Global Health Centre, GIIDS, Geneva), Priya Basu (CEO, Pandemic Fund), and Rashid Khalani (CEO, Aga Khan Hospital).

She will also chair the session on ‘Women and children in conflict and fragile settings’ (17:00-18:30) under the sub-theme ‘Women, Adolescents, Child Health and Nutrition’. The speakers who will join her for this session are Dennis Opondo (Kenya Red Cross), Corine Karema Kakizi (Afrika Kwanza Health Impact, Rwanda), Ngabo Gaga Fidele (Africa CDC), Zulfiquar Bhutta (AKU), and Aminata Wurie (Resilience Action Network Africa).

Dr. Neema Kaseje, is an internationally recognized humanitarian surgeon, public health specialist, and an expert in health systems strengthening interventions serving last mile rural communities and populations affected by conflict including refugees. She has extensive experience deploying innovative health solutions to maximize access to lifesaving health services leveraging youth, community health workers (CHWs), and digital technology in rural and refugee contexts. 

In Siaya Kenya, she worked with >1000 CHWs to complete >300’000 digital household visits with a 70% reduction in COVID-19 related deaths. She established the first pediatric operating room in a refugee camp in Kakuma Refugee Camp which led to a 40% increase in access to pediatric surgical care; working in partnership with CHWs. She was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2017 and currently serves on its Global Future Council on Re-imagining Aid, and is a member of the World Health Summit Council.

#WorldHealthSummitRegionalMeeting2026 #WHSRegionalMeeting2026