𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡-𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬

The Ministry of Health has called on built environment professionals to place health, dignity, and inclusion at the centre of Kenya’s infrastructure development agenda, emphasizing that architecture and urban planning play a critical role in disease prevention and public well-being.

 

Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary (PS) Mary Muriuki said the built environment must be viewed as a key pillar in promoting healthier and safer communities.

 

Speaking during the opening of the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors (BORAQS) Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Seminar in Nairobi, the PS noted that people spend nearly 90 percent of their time indoors, making the quality of buildings and public spaces a major determinant of health outcomes.

 

Citing global data from the World Health Organization (WHO), Muriuki said unhealthy environments contribute to an estimated 12.6 million deaths annually worldwide due to factors such as poor air quality, inadequate sanitation, unsafe housing, and climate-related hazards.

 

“The built environment is not merely about structures and aesthetics; it is fundamentally about life, health, safety, and dignity,” she said.

 

Muriuki highlighted the impact of poorly designed spaces on communities, noting that overcrowded settlements can accelerate the spread of communicable diseases, while inadequate drainage systems contribute to flooding and waterborne illnesses.

 

She added that poorly ventilated classrooms negatively affect learning outcomes, and poorly designed hospitals can compromise patient safety and staff efficiency.

 

The PS emphasized the growing global shift from treatment to prevention in healthcare, saying investments in healthier environments and resilient infrastructure generate significant long-term savings.

 

“Evidence consistently demonstrates that prevention is not only more humane, but also more cost-effective,” she said, citing studies showing that public health interventions can yield substantial returns on investment.

 

She urged architects, engineers, planners, quantity surveyors, and policymakers to work collaboratively in integrating health considerations into every stage of project delivery, from planning and material selection to construction and maintenance.

 

Muriuki also called for the adoption of universal access and gender-sensitive design principles to ensure infrastructure equitably serves all groups, including women, children, older persons, and persons living with disabilities.

 

“Accessibility should never be treated as an afterthought. It is a matter of equity, constitutional responsibility, and human rights,” she stated.

 

The PS further encouraged professionals in the built environment sector to embrace emerging concepts such as trauma-informed and neuro-inclusive design, noting that physical spaces can either support healing or contribute to stress and anxiety.

 

Muriuki stressed the importance of aligning infrastructure development with Ministry of Health standards, the National Building Code, and Kenya’s climate adaptation priorities to create sustainable and resilient communities.

 

“As we align design choices with health priorities and balance them with sustainability and resilience, our infrastructure becomes transformative,” she said. “We create not just buildings, but environments of healing, protection, productivity, and dignity.”

 

Muriuki urged stakeholders to deepen collaboration in creating built environments that protect and uplift communities.

The two-day seminar is being held under the theme “Health, Dignity, and Inclusion in the Built Environment.”

Muriuki commended BORAQS for convening the forum, describing the theme as “visionary and necessary” because it places human well-being at the heart of design, construction, and infrastructure management.