CEBA at the School Health Summit: Championing Health in Schools

From 12th to 14th May 2025, CEBA participated in the School Health Summit held at PrideInn Paradise in Mombasa under the theme “Strengthening Multi-Sectoral Collaboration for Healthier Learners.” The summit brought together key stakeholders from the health and education sectors, development partners, civil society, and youth advocates to advance school health as a critical component of Primary Health Care (PHC). Prof. Fred Were, representing Keprecon, emphasized the urgent need to integrate health services into school settings, particularly for the underserved 5–10 age group. Dr. Sultani Matendechero, speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Health, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to embedding school health within the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda. Dr. Mbwarali Kame of Mombasa County shared the county’s school health successes, including expanded feeding programs, ECD improvements, and mental health support.

CEBA’s presence was marked by a vibrant exhibition booth that highlighted its advocacy work on adolescent and reproductive health, with a focus on the transition to the single-dose HPV vaccine. The booth attracted significant interest from national and county officials, educators, and development partners, sparking meaningful discussions and new partnership opportunities. Key commitments emerging from the summit included strengthening linkages between schools and health facilities, increasing HPV vaccine uptake, sustaining deworming programs, digitizing health data, and developing a unified framework for school health initiatives. The summit reinforced CEBA’s leadership in advocating for inclusive, sustainable, and youth-centered health systems rooted in the school environment.