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KEMRI Signs Landmark GBP 91 Million Partnership with Wellcome and University of Oxford to Bolster Health Research in Kenya
LONDON, 28th, March 2025: The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has officially entered into a seven-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Wellcome, a UK-based charitable foundation, and the University of Oxford. The agreement was signed on Thursday evening, 27th, March 2025, at the Wellcome headquarters in London, marking a significant boost for medical research and training in Kenya.
Under the partnership, Wellcome and the University of Oxford will support research activities with a funding commitment of up to GBP 91 million (KES 15 billion) over the next seven years. KEMRI’s Acting Director General and CEO, Prof. Elijah Songok, signed the MoU alongside Dr John-Arne Røttingen, Chief Executive Officer of Wellcome, and Prof. Gavin Screaton, Head of Medical Sciences at Oxford’s Nuffield Department.
Prof. Songok highlighted the strategic importance of the KEMRI-Wellcome-Oxford Programme, emphasizing its contribution of over 30 percent of KEMRI’s research output. “The Programme remains one of KEMRI’s flagship research and training initiatives, continuously making impactful contributions to health research and capacity building,” he stated.
Dr. Røttingen underscored Wellcome’s focus on supporting science to address the most urgent global health challenges facing everyone, including mental health, climate change, and infectious diseases. “We are proud of what our collaboration has achieved over the years and are excited to continue contributing towards better health outcomes in the years to come,” he noted.
Prof. Screaton reiterated the University of Oxford’s commitment to fostering equitable research collaborations worldwide, particularly with researchers across Africa. “We are dedicated to advancing learning and research that positively impacts millions of lives globally,” he remarked.
The ceremony was attended by a distinguished delegation, including: Dr. Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali, Chairman of the KEMRI Board of Directors, Ms. Veska Kangongo, Advisor, Strategy and Execution from the Executive Office of the President, Mr. Christopher Marwa, KEMRI Board Director, Ms. Margaret Rigoro, Acting Director of Legal Services, KEMRI and Mr. James Wodera, Principal Corporate Communications Officer and Head of Media, Communications, and Publications, KEMRI.
The team representing Wellcome included, Dr. Jimmy Volmink, Executive Director, Equity, Chris Bird, Chief Legal Officer, Dr. Julia Kemp, Head of Major International Programmes and Yolisa Nalule, Senior Manager, Major International Programmes.
The University of Oxford delegation had, Prof. Susan Dunachie, Director of the Nuffield Department of Medicine Centre for Global Health Research, Prof. Chris Price, Divisional Registrar and Chief Operating Officer, Medical Sciences Division and Mr. Ed Gibbs, Chief Operating Officer, Nuffield Department of Medicine.
Thursday’s agreement builds upon a previous Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed on 27th, November 2024, which renewed formal collaborations following the expiration of earlier agreements which also at the time, coincided with Wellcome’s commemoration of 60 years of presence and collaboration in Kenya.
KEMRI’s partnership with Wellcome and the University of Oxford, which spans over 36 years, has yielded groundbreaking research in malaria, pneumonia, meningitis, HIV, malnutrition, and COVID-19, among others. This continued collaboration has also facilitated the development and testing of critical vaccines, including two malaria vaccines and the Rift Valley Fever vaccine under the One Health approach.
The partnership has significantly contributed to generating evidence for advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Kenya and the region, further cementing KEMRI’s position as a leader in health research and innovation.
“As we embark on this renewed journey with Wellcome and the University of Oxford, we are reaffirming our commitment to cutting-edge research and innovative solutions that address some of the most pressing health challenges of our time. This partnership is not just an investment in research; it’s an investment in healthier, more resilient communities across Kenya and beyond,” said an excited Prof. Songok.
For more information, please contact Wodera James on Email: jwodera@kemri.go.ke, 0722767682 or Cynthia Mauncho Cell: 0780 547440.
KEMRI:
The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) is a State Corporation established in Kenya in 1979 through the Science and Technology (Repealed) Act, Cap 250 of the Laws of Kenya operated under the Science Technology and Innovation Act, 2013 as the national body responsible for carrying out research in human health in Kenya. Currently, KEMRI operates under Legal Notice No. 35 of March 2021KEMRI has grown from its humble beginning over 40 years ago to become a regional leader in human health research. The Institute currently ranks as one of the leading Centers of excellence in health research both in Africa as well as globally. For more information visit; www.kemri.go.ke
About Wellcome
Wellcome supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. We support discovery research into life, health and wellbeing, and we’re taking on three worldwide health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health.