Kenya's Health Service

In Kenya, every day families are forced to sell their assets, rely on community support or see their modest life savings wiped out by medical bills. 

Every year, nearly one million Kenyans are pushed below the poverty line due to healthcare expenses.

Ill-health is a substantial burden on Kenyan families and on Kenya’s economy. Out-of-pocket expenses in Kenya make up a third of the country’s total health expenditure, far above the World Health Organization’s suggested 15 or 20%.

Approximately four out of every five Kenyans lack access to medical insurance, meaning that most are just an accident or illness away from destitution. Among the poorest, only 3% have health insurance, this provided by the government’s National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). This rises to 42% of the wealthiest fifth where private cover is also more common. Additionally, there are stark disparities between rural and urban populations, where rates of coverage are an average of 12% and 27% respectively.

 33.6% of Kenyans survive on less than US$1.90 per day, millions will still not access quality healthcare.