Kenya - Universal Healthcare Coverage

The changing healthcare landscape in Africa continues to make an indelible impact with an emphasis on the implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030. Kenya is in the process of defining a Health Financing Strategy which will give impetus to Kenya’s journey towards universal health coverage. There are extreme regional differences in the quality and distribution of care, with the best facilities located in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, while the most underdeveloped facilities are in the North-Eastern Province and parts of the coastal region.

Primary care facilities in rural areas often suffer from shortages of staff, essential drugs, and basic medical equipment. Some patients choose not to seek care due to the distance that they would have to travel to reach the nearest health facility. Only 30% of the rural population has access to health facilities within 4km of their home, compared with 70% of the urban population. 

Universal Health Coverage, is one of the “Big Four” strategic pillars declared by the President of Kenya which will see major policy and administrative reforms in the medical sector, to ensure everyone has access to quality and affordable medical coverage by 2022. Opportunities here are for Public Private Partnerships(PPP’s) with the National Health Insurance Fund financing solutions will be required to meet the demands of the growing population and cater for the under served regions. The government is also in the process of setting up Cancer Centers of Excellence (CoE) in two national hospitals to provide affordable, quality cancer treatment in a bid to reduce the high number of patients seeking specialized treatment in other countries. This will also boost the country’s large medical tourism market in the East African region.

For more information contact office.nairobi@trade.gov.