CHAK is in partnership with Novo Nordisk Foundation initiating a new phase of the Partnership for Education of Health Professionals (PEP) Programme in Kenya with the aim of strengthening health professionals’ education for the prevention and management of cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs). The four-year programme is supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation with a grant of USD9.4 million, distributed among the project consortia partners.
“CHAK is committed to ensuring that affiliated medical training colleges are at the forefront of high-quality, evidence-based education on CMDs. Through PEP, we are driving systemic improvements by strengthening curricula and building institutional capacity with modern tools – online and blended learning approaches, digital pedagogy, simulation-based learning and advanced medical education technologies,” said Dr. Chrisostim Barasa, General Secretary & CEO of CHAK.
The new programme builds on the inception phase of PEP in Kenya, which assessed training needs, reviewed curricula, and identified gaps in cardiometabolic disease education across medical and health training institutions. Pilot short courses implemented during the inception phase generated practical insights and informed the next stage of the partnership.
This new phase of the project will embed sustainable improvements within education and training systems, while expanding programme reach to a nationwide scale. The programme will be implemented through a partnership consortium involving CHAK, Kenya Medical Training College, Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance of Kenya, and the African Population and Health Research Centre, in close collaboration with the Kenyan Ministry of Health and relevant regulatory bodies.
Kenya continues facing a growing double burden of disease, with cardiometabolic diseases increasing alongside persistent communicable diseases. Meeting these challenges requires a health workforce that is equipped with relevant, up-to-date competencies and supported by strong education and training systems aligned with national health priorities. Medical Training Colleges train a critical mass of Kenya’s health professionals and are therefore a key entry point for strengthening the competencies required to meet evolving population health needs.
The new phase of the PEP project will address gaps in medical training colleges by integrating evidence-based cardiometabolic disease content into pre-service and in-service curricula, expanding access to targeted short courses, and strengthening faculty capacity through mentorship and training in innovative teaching approaches. By supporting educational research and peer learning across institutions and counties, the programme contributes to applied evidence on what improves learning outcomes in health professional education. Over the next four years, the programme will reach over 1,910 faculty and 12,862 students.
‘By embedding evidence generation and peer learning into our training systems, we are ensuring that faculty apply the most up-to-date teaching methods and that the students graduate with the competencies required to meet Kenya’s evolving health needs. This
programme represents a strategic investment in the future of our health workforce and in the resilience of Kenya’s health system,” Dr Barasa added.
The programme commences concurrently with the expansion of the PEP programme to Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania, led by Amref Health Africa. By connecting Kenya’s work to broader PEP learning networks across East Africa, India, and Denmark, the programme will foster cross-regional collaboration and learning exchanges. Partners will share experiences and accelerate the uptake of effective educational approaches across diverse contexts.
Overall, the partnership aims to contribute to stronger health training systems and a better-prepared health workforce, supporting improved prevention, early detection, and quality management of cardiometabolic diseases as part of routine care.
Media contact – Christian Health Association of Kenya
Dr. Chrisostim Barasa, General Secretary & CEO
Christian Health Association of Kenya
Email: gs@chak.or.ke
Media contact – Novo Nordisk Foundation
Nils Eskestad, Senior Corporate Writer
Novo Nordisk Foundation
nes@novo.dk