🇰🇪 Kenya Healthcare Guide
Nairobi has excellent private hospitals — The Nairobi Hospital, Aga Khan University Hospital, and MP Shah are all well-equipped and accustomed to treating international patients — and Kenya serves as a medical hub for much of East Africa. Outside Nairobi and Mombasa, healthcare is more basic, particularly in the northern counties and the Masai Mara region. English is widely spoken across the healthcare system, and if you're heading on safari or to remote areas, knowing where the nearest capable facility is to your camp or lodge lets you direct a vehicle there immediately rather than relying on camp staff to figure out the route mid-emergency.
Quick facts
- Emergency number: 999
- Healthcare system: mixed
- Average GP visit: $20 USD
- EHIC/GHIC accepted: No
- Language barrier: medium
Healthcare overview
Nairobi is East Africa’s medical hub, with Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi Hospital, and MP Shah Hospital providing specialist care that draws patients from across the region. Mombasa has adequate private hospitals. Safari and trekking destinations (Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Mount Kenya) rely on flying doctor services for medical evacuations to Nairobi. Private GP visits cost KES 2,000–5,000 ($15–40).
East African medical hub
Nairobi receives patients from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and Somalia. Aga Khan and Nairobi Hospital have dedicated international departments.
Flying doctor services
AMREF Flying Doctors provides air evacuation from safari lodges and remote areas to Nairobi. Most safari operators include or offer this coverage.
Vaccinations
Recommended
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Typhoid
- Malaria prophylaxis
- Yellow Fever
- Meningitis
- Rabies
Prescriptions and pharmacies
Kenyan pharmacies are well-distributed in Nairobi, Mombasa, and major towns, with medications at affordable prices. Quality is generally good at licensed outlets. English is the pharmacy language. Carry your full supply for safari travel, as pharmacies in wildlife areas are nonexistent.
Safari supply self-sufficiency
There are no pharmacies in the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, or other wildlife reserves. Bring everything you need before heading out on safari.
Tips for travellers
Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi covers comprehensive specialist care, with oncology, cardiology, and neurosurgery departments. For the most complex cases, Johannesburg, Mumbai, or London serve as the next tier. Having your treatment history accessible in English helps Nairobi’s specialists continue your care, as English is the standard medical documentation language across Kenya’s private hospital network.
Aga Khan specialist departments
Aga Khan Nairobi has the broadest specialist coverage in East Africa, with departments rivalling some South African hospitals.