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The quality of healthcare in Kenya is a question of whether you're using its public or private hospitals. Public facilities are stretched and generally fall short of Western standards, so most expats turn to the private sector, where hospitals and clinics are better equipped and far less crowded than their public counterparts. Quality is not guaranteed even within the private sector, so it's worth checking a hospital's specialities before you need them.
Private care costs a good deal more than the public system, but the gap in quality and waiting times is wide enough to justify the expense for most newcomers.
Public healthcare in Kenya
Public healthcare in Kenya is organised in tiers; a case moves up the chain of referrals as it grows more complex. For anyone not on private cover, a government-run dispensary is the first port of call. Dispensaries are staffed by nurses and deal with everyday outpatient complaints such as colds, flu, minor skin conditions, and the initial treatment of malaria. Most of their medicines and equipment come from the state-run Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).
When a dispensary can't handle a case, it refers the patient to a health centre, which a clinical officer manages. Health centres concentrate on primary and preventive care, such as vaccinations and maternal services, and they tend to be weaker on complex curative treatment. More complicated cases move up again to a county or national referral hospital.
Private healthcare in Kenya
Most expats rely on private healthcare in Kenya, as it’s a clear step up from the public system. Doctors in the private sector tend to be more experienced, and hygiene and equipment have improved significantly in recent years. Private facilities range from small neighbourhood clinics to large, well-equipped hospitals, and the biggest concentration is in Nairobi and Mombasa.
Routine treatments at Kenya’s private healthcare facilities can be surprisingly affordable, but private hospitals usually require an upfront deposit from uninsured patients before admitting them. This is where it becomes so important to have solid medical insurance, particularly for major procedures and evacuations.
For the most serious operations, some patients look abroad. South Africa has the best-regarded medical facilities on the continent and is the usual destination for emergency medical evacuation, so check that any policy covers overseas evacuation and treatment.
Healthcare in Nairobi
Healthcare in Mombasa
Healthcare in South Africa
Health insurance in Kenya
Health insurance in Kenya was overhauled in 2024, when the government replaced the old National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) with the Social Health Authority (SHA). SHA manages three funds: a Primary Healthcare Fund for basic outpatient care at public dispensaries and health centres, the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) for inpatient and specialist treatment at larger hospitals, and an Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund for costly care such as dialysis, cancer treatment, intensive care, and emergency evacuation.
Registration is open to all residents, foreign nationals included, who sign up using a Foreign Resident Certificate. Employed residents contribute 2.75 percent of their gross salary, deducted at source each month. As under the old system, though, most expats treat SHA as a baseline and take out private cover on top, since the public package on its own is limited and the SHA rollout has had its teething problems.
Private health insurance isn't compulsory, but it's highly recommended. Without it, private treatments can cost as much as they would back home, and an emergency evacuation could be ruinous to pay out of pocket. Employers relocating staff to Kenya often include health cover in their package. If yours doesn't, make sure to get a private policy that covers you properly before you arrive, and read the terms closely so you know exactly what you're covered for.
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Pharmacies and medication in Kenya
Pharmacies in Kenya are widely known as chemists, and you'll find them in any town of reasonable size, usually marked by the familiar green cross. In Swahili, they're called duka la dawa. The best-stocked ones are often attached to hospitals, and Goodlife Pharmacy, the largest chain in East Africa, has branches in shopping centres across the country; Haltons and Pharmaplus are two other names worth knowing. Some city-centre chemists stay open around the clock, although it pays to check hours before a late trip.
Most generic medicines are easy to come by, and although a lot of stock is imported, prices are generally lower than in many other expat destinations. There's a quirk worth knowing about, too. Kenyan chemists will often sell over the counter what you'd need a prescription for back home, antibiotics included, even though the law technically requires one. If you take medication for a chronic condition, bring enough to tide you over, along with copies of your prescriptions and the generic names of your drugs, as brand names change from country to country.
Outside the cities, the pharmacies are more spread out. Rural residents often have to deal with stock shortages and long journeys to reach one, and essential medicines can be harder to come by.
Health hazards in Kenya
Malaria is the health hazard in Kenya you'll most likely have to contend with. The risk is highest in the hot, low-lying areas, especially the coast around Mombasa and the Lake Victoria basin. There's less risk in Nairobi and the cooler central highlands. The best defence is to avoid getting bitten in the first place. Sleep under a mosquito net, use insect repellent, wear long sleeves after dark, and make sure your window screens are in good repair. Many expats also take a course of antimalarial tablets, so ask a doctor what suits your itinerary. There is also a risk of dengue fever, another mosquito-borne illness, mainly along the coast.
Waterborne illness is the other thing to watch out for. Kenya has cases of both cholera and typhoid, and the tap water isn't considered safe to drink. Stick to bottled or properly filtered water, and be wary of food from roadside stalls, where hygiene is harder to account for. Rabies is a risk too, so give stray dogs and monkeys a wide berth and seek treatment at once after any bite or scratch.
Vaccinations in Kenya
Vaccinations in Kenya come with one border rule worth knowing. If you're arriving from a country where yellow fever is present, you'll need to show a valid yellow fever certificate to enter. Travellers coming straight from the UK, the USA, or most of Europe don't legally need one, but health authorities still recommend the jab, since much of Kenya is inside the yellow fever zone.
Beyond that, doctors commonly suggest hepatitis A, typhoid, hepatitis B, and rabies. Keep your routine vaccinations current as well, including measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), polio, tetanus, and diphtheria. Book a travel-health appointment four to six weeks before you fly, which leaves time for any course of jabs to take effect.
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Emergency medical services in Kenya
In a medical emergency in Kenya, dial 999, 112, or 911. All three reach the police, fire, and ambulance services. In practice, a private car or taxi may be the quickest way to reach the hospital, as ambulances can be slow to arrive.
In Nairobi and Mombasa, ambulance response times are passable, and the Kenya Red Cross and St John Ambulance are among the main providers. In rural areas, cover is patchy at best. For air evacuation from remote areas, AMREF Flying Doctors is the long-established option, and it's worth confirming that your insurer covers this.
Private hospitals in the cities usually run a small fleet of their own ambulances. The Kenya Red Cross operates a nationwide ambulance line on 1199 and also runs the E-Plus service in the main towns. In Nairobi, the largest accident and emergency departments are at Nairobi Hospital and Aga Khan University Hospital.