Kenya’s healthcare is at a crossroads, time to act now
Social Health Authority (SHA) signage at Mutuini Hospital in Dagoretti South Sub-County, Nairobi, on August 27, 2025.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
Media Source: Nation Media (Kenya)
Date: 23 March 2026
The recently released Kenya Population Situation Analysis (PSA) 2025 Report, developed in collaboration with the National Council for Population and Development, provides one of the clearest assessments of the country’s health trajectory - offering both encouragement and a stark warning about mounting pressure on the health…
The recently released Kenya Population Situation Analysis (PSA) 2025 Report, developed in collaboration with the National Council for Population and Development, provides one of the clearest assessments of the country’s health trajectory - offering both encouragement and a stark warning about mounting pressure on the health system. The PSA shows that Kenya’s health landscape is changing rapidly. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) now account for 40 per cent of all deaths in Kenya, nearly double their share in the early 1990s. Cardiovascular diseases contribute 13 per cent of total deaths, while hypertension affects 24 per cent of adults, up from below 15 per cent three decades ago. Kenya is therefore managing a dual burden: persistent infectious diseases alongside a sharp rise in chronic conditions. Both demand strong financing, skilled health professionals, and long-term systems planning. “At Aga Khan University and Aga Khan University Hospital, we are prioritising this need. Our internationally accredited undergraduate and postgraduate programmes use simulation-based learning and other innovations to produce practice-ready graduates. We have expanded specialist fellowship training to 16 programmes, increasing the number of cardiologists, oncologists, neurologists and other critical specialists,” writes Rashid Khalani,CEO, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi.