Kenya to Host Continental Youth Health Conference in June

Kenya will host the 8th Pan-African Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (AYSRHR) Scientific Conference from June 24 to 27, 2025, at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort in Mombasa.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Aden Duale, is expected to officially open the conference, which will run under the theme “Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in a World of Emerging Threats and Opportunities.”

The forum, organized by the Reproductive Health Network Kenya (RHNK) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, is expected to bring together over 1,000 delegates from more than 30 countries.

Participants will include government officials, civil society actors, academia, the private sector, youth-led groups, and international organizations.

Ahead of the event, RHNK will host a media breakfast on May 22, 2025, at the Fairview Hotel in Nairobi to engage the press and key stakeholders. The meeting will focus on the role of the media in promoting youth voices and building public awareness on sexual and reproductive health.

Key speakers at the media briefing will include Dr. Patrick Amoth, Director General for Health at the Ministry of Health; Dr. Mohamed Sheikh of the National Council for Population and Development; and Prof. Joachim Osur of Amref International University.

Nelly Munyasia, the Executive Director of RHNK, said the annual event remains the continent’s key platform for evidence-based dialogue and youth-led advocacy.

“The 8th RHNK Pan-African AYSRHR Conference is a rallying point for Africa’s youth and those who work alongside them,” she said. “We’re building a united front to ensure every young person has access to the health services, education, and support they need to thrive in an increasingly complex world.”

Speaking to the press, Dr. Edward Serem, Head of the Division of Reproductive and Maternal Health at the Ministry of Health, emphasized the need for stronger community awareness.

“Now is the time to confront the new wave of HIV/AIDS, unintended pregnancies, early marriages, gender-based violence, and female genital mutilation,” he said.

The conference will feature policy roundtables, youth-led innovations, scientific sessions, and opportunities for networking across sectors.

Media representatives are encouraged to attend both the Nairobi breakfast and the Mombasa conference.