Expat Healthcare in Kenya www.expatriatehealthcare.com /expat-healthcare-in-kenya/

In Kenya there is a great disparity between the rich and the poor. Within major cities, where the country’swealthiest citizens are to be found, there are a number of excellent hospitals. In more rural areas,however, the situation is quite the reverse.

Whilst in theory all Kenyan citizens have access to the universal healthcare system, in reality manyKenyans struggle to receive the care they need. Many authorities complain of widespread corruption andseverely limited funding which results in substandard care.

When combined with the number of diseases and infection to be found in Kenya, such as malaria, rabiesand HIB, this has resulted in a reduction in average life expectancy and an increase in infant mortality inrecent years.

While evidence of improvement is visible in Kenya, visitors and expats alike would do well to fully preparethemselves before arriving so as to assure themselves of the best possible standards of medical care.

Contents

1 Expat Healthcare in Kenya

1.1 Kenya Healthcare System

1.2 Telephone Number of Ambulances in Kenya

1.3 Prescriptions in Kenya

1.4 List of Chemists in Kenya

1.5 Vaccinations Required for Kenya

1.6 Kenya Expat Insurance

1.7 List of Hospitals in Kenya

Kenya Healthcare System

The Kenya healthcare system is funded by the NationalHealth Insurance Fund, through compulsory payments. Sadly,the funds raised in this manner rarely seem to cover the levelof care required from a country with over 44 million residents.

At present Kenya has one of the lowest patient/doctor ratios inthe world, with just one medical professional per 10,000residents. Most of these doctors are focused in and aroundNairobi and Mombasa. In the bush this density can be evenless. This means that falling ill in more rural areas can be tremendously serious, on account of the lack ofmedical facilities to be found locally.

The Kenyan healthcare system is broadly divided into two classifications of establishments. On the one

hand are the hospitals. Within Nairobi and Mombasa there are a number of international-grade institutions,though many more exist with less-than-stellar reputations.

Secondary to these hospitals are the so-called “dispensaries”. These can be seen as akin to the clinicsfound in most other countries, apart from the fact that they are typically run by nurses rather than doctors.

Due to the state of the Kenyan healthcare system most expats, travellers and even wealthy Kenyans opt toavoid the under-staffed public facilities with their long queues and instead opt for private treatment. Whilethe costs can be considerable, more modern medical equipment, English-speaking doctors and minimalwaiting times normally make these facilities the only viable solution.

Telephone Number of Ambulances in Kenya

As a past British-colony, it should be no surprise that some British culture has rubbed off on Kenyansociety. In order to request an ambulance in Kenya simply dial the same number as in the UK – 999 – fromany phone.

Visitors should note that the ambulance service, ratherlike the public healthcare system, is far from efficient.Wait times can be long and under some circumstancesit can be more efficient to find alternativetransportation to the hospital.

Many private hospitals in Kenya also run their ownprivate ambulance service, with better-equippedvehicles and more highly-trained staff. Expats andlong-term tourists can do well to inspect local privateestablishments in order to find one that they are happywith. Note down the specific telephone number to request an ambulance from this facility and keep it withyou at all times just in case.

As an added insurance policy, many expats living in more rural areas opt to take out a policy with a flyingdoctor.

Such companies offer “air ambulances” where emergency medical care can be flown to you in times ofneed. Alternatively such a service also facilitates faster transport to hospital in the case of serious medicalcomplications. One of the most highly-regarded such services in Kenya is AMREF Flying Doctors.

While membership of such schemes is not cheap, many people consider it a worthy insurance policyagainst a country with such unpredictable transport links and medical coverage.

Prescriptions in Kenya

As a further throwback from British occupation, prescriptions in Kenya tend to be dispensed by “chemists”rather than drug stores or alternative names. There are a number of highly-regarded chemist chains to befound in Kenya. Well-known chains include:

Yaya Chemists

MedWorld Pharmacies

TriChem Pharmacies

If in doubt, most chemists can be identified by the “Rx” symbol typically shown on their exterior.

Visitors should note that many hospitals also have chemists attached, and the costs at such premises canoften be lower than dealing with a stand-alone facility.

List of Chemists in Kenya

The following chemists are some of the more popular options:

Chemist Name Tel No Address

MedWorldPharmacies

+254 0203862487

Valley Arcade Shopping Centre, Gitanga Road, Nairobi, Kenya

TriChemPharmacies

+254 203871362

Valley Arcade Shopping Centre, Gitanga Road, Nairobi, Kenya

Yaya Chemists +254 703114936

Ground Floor Yaya Centre, Argwings Kodhek Road, NairobiCentral, 00100, Kenya

Vaccinations Required for Kenya

Kenya has a considerable numbers of diseases and pathogens so appropriate vaccination should beconsidered critical before visiting. We would advise all potential expats and tourists to seek professionaladvice in plenty of time to facilitate a full course of injections before arrival in the country.

As a general rule of thumb the following vaccinations are considered worthwhile:

Diptheria

Hepatitis A

Polio

Tetanus

Typhoid

Depending on your area of travel and lifestyle choices the following vaccinations may also berecommended:

Cholera

Hepatitis B

Meningitis

Rabies

Yellow Fever

Kenya Expat Insurance

Expat health insurance should be consideredobligatory for visitors to Kenya. As previously stated,for the best possible care you will likely want to rely onthe services of a private hospital in Nairobi orMombasa. Such treatment does not come cheaply,and without suitable health insurance the costs oftreatment may prove to be a major handicap.

In addition it is worth noting that serious cases maynot be best dealt with in Kenya at all. It is not unusualfor serious medical cases to be flown to South Africa,where standards of medical care are considerablyhigher. This 2,000-odd mile trip in a helicopter can costup to 100,000 USD; well outside the bounds of reason for most people’s cheque book.

While we sincerely hope that being airlifted to a hospital in another country won’t be necessary, if it everbecomes a priority you’ll be glad of having suitable cover.

Many expats working in Kenya have private medical insurance provided by their employer. However if thisisn’t the case then you should think hard about the most appropriate service for your needs.

Whoever your provider is, you should carefully check the details of your policy to ensure that it coversmedical repatriation if necessary.

List of Hospitals in Kenya

Below you will find a list of some of the more reliable and reputable hospitals to be found in Kenya. Expatsare advised to compare the options available in order to find an establishment they can rely on should theneed arise.

Hospital Name Tel No Address

Aga Khan Hospital,Mombasa

+254 (041)2227710-5

Vanga Road, PO Box 83013, Mombasa, 80100, Kenya

Aga Khan Hospital,Nairobi

+254 203662000

Aga Khan Hospital Building, Third Parklands Avenue, LumuruRoad, Nairobi 00100, Kenya

Diani BeachHospital

+254 (0) 700999 999

Box 5074, Diani Beach, Ukunda 80401, Kenya

Kenyatta NationalHospital

+254 729406939

Hospital Road, Upper Hill, Nairobi 00202, Kenya

Kijabe Hospital +254 203246500

PO Box 20, Kijabe, 00220 Kenya

Mater Hospital +254 206903000

Mukenia Road, Nairobi, Kenya

Mombasa Hospital +254 412312191

Kizingo, Mombasa, Kenya

Nairobi Hospital +254 202845000

Argwings Kodhek Road, PO Box 30026, 00100, Nairobi, Kenya

Nairobi Women’sHospital

+254 202726821

Hurligham Medicare Plaza, Argwings Kodhek Road, Nairobi00202, Kenya

Hospital Name Tel No Address