NAIROBI, KENYA – The Centre for Health Solutions – Kenya (CHS) has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Kochon Prize, recognizing fifteen years of groundbreaking contributions to tuberculosis (TB) control and health system strengthening across Kenya.
Awarded by the Kochon Foundation and the Stop TB Partnership, the international prize honors CHS’s evidence-based model of embedding rapid diagnostics, multi-morbidity care, and digital innovations directly within government-owned health infrastructure.
Since its inception in 2010, CHS has transformed Kenya’s public health landscape by bringing life-saving care to underserved communities. Over its 15-year journey, CHS has supported more than 2.8 million molecular TB tests and facilitated over 1.1 million timely TB diagnoses, helping drive a 46 percent national decline in TB incidence and a 58 percent drop in TB mortality since 2015.
Bringing Diagnostics to the Doorstep
A cornerstone of CHS’s success lies in decentralizing diagnostics to ensure no patient is left behind. Through integrated specimen referral networks, CHS has facilitated the transport of over 100,000 culture samples to national reference laboratories.
To bridge rural and remote diagnostic gaps, CHS spearheaded the deployment of:
- Near Point-of-Care (NPOC) & Truenat Devices: Delivering accurate molecular test results within 45 minutes at primary healthcare facilities.
- AI-Enabled Portable Digital X-Rays: Expanding community-based chest imaging directly into hard-to-reach areas.
- Non-Invasive Pediatric Testing: Pioneering stool-based molecular testing for children under five, overcoming historic diagnostic barriers for young children unable to expectorate sputum.
The Power of Integrated, Whole-Person Care
CHS has consistently advocated for a “whole-person” approach to healthcare rather than isolated disease management. In Kiambu County, CHS’s TB REACH Vumbua project delivered over 135,000 integrated screenings for TB and non-communicable conditions in just 13 months—achieving TB notification rates 31 percent higher than single-disease control sites.
This holistic model mirrors CHS’s broader health system impacts across Kenya, including achieving 95 percent HIV viral suppression among children and adolescents and supporting a 73 percent decline in TB mortality in Siaya County through deeply embedded local health governance.
Leadership Statement
Accepting the award on behalf of the organization, Dr. Paul Wekesa, Chief Executive Officer of CHS, dedicated the prize to frontline health workers and national partners:
“We accept the 2026 Kochon Prize with immense humility and gratitude. This award belongs to the Ministry of Health, county governments, laboratory teams, Community Health Promoters, courier riders, and donors who labor daily to ensure every person with TB is found, treated, and supported. It reinforces a fundamental truth: lasting health progress happens when we strengthen government-owned systems and respond to human beings, not just disease targets.”
Looking to the future, CHS reaffirms its commitment to advancing local health system ownership, expanding domestic health financing, and leveraging digital tools to ensure Kenya meets global goals to eliminate TB by 2030.
About Centre for Health Solutions – Kenya (CHS)
Centre for Health Solutions – Kenya (CHS) is an indigenous, non-profit public health organization committed to optimizing health systems and improving healthcare access through sustainable, evidence-based local solutions. Working in close partnership with national and county governments, CHS leads transformative interventions across HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, health security, non-communicable diseases, and maternal and child health.
Learn more: www.chskenya.org
