Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) is set to launch the Centre for Healthy Ageing (CEFHA), a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing the rising challenges facing older adults in Kenya and across Africa.
The centre, to be housed under the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at the College of Health Sciences (COHES), marks the first of its kind in Africa. It is being established in partnership with the State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizens Affairs under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.
According to Dr. Daniel Nyamongo, a senior lecturer and epidemiologist at JKUAT, the centre will focus on research, training, and collaboration with both local and international partners to promote healthy ageing. He said the global demographic shift towards an ageing population has brought new social and health challenges that demand urgent solutions.
“Life expectancy is rising globally, now averaging 80 years, while fertility rates continue to fall. This shift, combined with rural-to-urban migration, has left many elderly people isolated and without access to age-friendly services such as healthcare and proper housing,” Dr. Nyamongo noted.
Mr. Peter Ochieng, the Director of Social Development at the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, praised JKUAT’s initiative, saying it comes at a time when Kenya needs to prepare for the health and social needs of an ageing population.
“This is a timely move. We must begin to reorient our focus from infectious diseases to the long-term health and welfare of older citizens,” Ochieng said.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize the centre will be signed within two weeks. Once operational, it will serve as a hub for geriatric and gerontology training, key areas that remain largely unaddressed in African university health programs despite the growing elderly population.
JKUAT says the new centre will not only generate data-driven insights but also shape national policy and ensure that ageing Kenyans live with dignity, good health, and social inclusion.
 is set to launch the Centre for Healthy Ageing (CEFHA), a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing the rising challenges facing older adults in Kenya and across Africa.){kind=link}