Titled the Leadership for Innovation and Excellence in Accelerating Research on Women’s Health (LEA-WH) Programme, the three-year initiative is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and will officially begin in January 2026.

According to KEMRI, the flagship programme seeks to strengthen Africa’s research leadership in women’s health by mentoring a new generation of scientists and innovators to develop locally driven solutions to health challenges disproportionately affecting women.

The Programme will also promote locally led research, support scalable innovations, and drive evidence-based policies tailored to Africa’s unique health needs.  

“The LEA-WH Programme represents KEMRI’s continued commitment to building scientific leadership that is inclusive, innovative, and African-led,” said Prof. Elijah Songok, KEMRI Director General. 

"By empowering scientists to lead ground-breaking research and innovation, we are investing in the future of Africa’s health and development.”

Through the initiative, KEMRI envisions bringing between five and ten innovative products to market testing, supporting up to ten startups, facilitating several patent applications, and enabling 20–50 percent of programme scholars to secure research and development grants. 

The programme also aims to catalyze between Ksh.386 million - Ksh.643 million in additional funding for innovation and research.

In addition, an annual ScienceX Africa Summit will serve as a platform for mentorship, collaboration, and knowledge exchange among health innovators. 

The programme will collaborate with the United States National Academy of Medicine to implement a fellowship component.

“Our vision is to cultivate a vibrant ecosystem where African researchers and innovators can lead in designing and implementing transformative solutions for women’s health,” said Prof. Elizabeth Anne Bukusi, the Programme Director.

The LEA-WH Advisory Council, chaired by Prof. Songok, will oversee the initiative, which will be supported by three departments: Curriculum Development led by Dr. Martin Bundi, Research and Development and Technical Training headed by Prof. Nelly Mugo, and Leadership Development under Dr. Rose Bosire. By Brian Kimani, Citizen Digital