The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) is a state corporation established through the Science and Technology (Amendment) Act of 1979, which has since been amended to Science, Technology and Innovation Act 2013 as the national body responsible for carrying out health research in Kenya.

KEMRI is the Medical Research arm of the Government and provides advice to the Ministry on various aspects of healthcare and delivery. National diseases surveillance and rapid response capacity for major disease outbreaks (Cholera, Chikungunya Virus, H1N1 Flu, Yellow Fever, Rift Valley Fever, Ebola, Aflatoxicosis etc).

In line with the constitutional requirements, KEMRI has developed a comprehensive framework under which the Institute has devolved its research activities and services, through seven regional clusters that serves the forty seven counties under the strategic pillar of health research in the context of devolution.

Technical and research support for the Emergency Care of Critically Ill Children (ETAT) guidelines. KEMRI provided Technical Facilitation in development of National Guidelines for Prevention of Cervix, Breast and Prostate cancers. Developed a curriculum and guidelines on biosafety and biosecurity for Health Care Workers in collaboration with MOH. Rationalization and regulation of traditional medicine. Human resource capacity development for research though attachments and in the KEMRI-JKUAT