Kenya is becoming an unlikely destination for patients travelling from abroad in search of specialist heart treatment, with doctors saying the country is earning a reputation for providing high-quality care at lower costs than many developed nations.
Health officials say an increasing number of patients, including those from the United Kingdom, are choosing Kenyan hospitals for cardiovascular procedures because treatment is more affordable and often easier to access.
Speaking during the 43rd Kenya Cardiac Society Annual Scientific Congress in Mombasa, the Ministry of Health’s Technical Lead for Sickle Cell and Cardiovascular Diseases, Yvette Kisaka, said the country’s investment in specialist services is beginning to attract international attention.
“You will be surprised that people are coming from all over the world to get specialised services, especially for cardiovascular care,” Kisaka said.
She added that many UK patients prefer treatment in Kenya because it is “less hectic and cheaper” than navigating healthcare systems back home.
According to Kisaka, years of investment in specialist doctors, modern equipment and better-equipped hospitals have helped strengthen confidence in Kenya’s healthcare system.
Heart Care Expands, but Affordability Remains a Challenge
Doctors say Kenya’s ability to treat complex heart conditions has improved dramatically over the past decade.
Kenya Cardiac Society President Dr Mzee Ngunga said the country now has more catheterisation laboratories than the rest of Eastern Africa combined, allowing more patients to receive advanced cardiac procedures closer to home.
The society has also introduced digital clinical guidelines that doctors can access on their mobile phones. The system is linked to an artificial intelligence application developed in Africa to monitor how the guidelines are being used and support patient care.
Despite those advances, Ngunga said the benefits have not reached everyone.
“The biggest challenge in Kenya is the affordability of cardiovascular services for Kenyans,” he said.
He described it as a troubling contradiction that foreign patients can often obtain specialist treatment more easily than many local residents.
Cardiovascular diseases continue to place a heavy burden on Kenya’s health system. Ngunga warned that high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity are driving a steady rise in heart failure cases.
“Every fourth or fifth adult may have high blood pressure, and many do not even know it,” he said, urging regular health screening to improve early diagnosis.
He added that diabetes affects nearly eight per cent of adults, increasing the risk of heart disease, while congenital heart defects remain a significant concern among children.
Doctors also pointed to smoking, excessive alcohol use, unhealthy diets and poor control of hypertension as key contributors to heart disease and stroke.
Research and Prevention Seen as the Next Frontier
Even as Kenya’s specialist services expand, researchers say one major obstacle remains: the shortage of local data on cardiovascular disease.
Consultant cardiologist Dr Anders Barasa said much of Kenya’s treatment guidance still relies on research conducted in North America because local evidence is limited.
“We need more information from our own population,” Barasa said. “That is why we have started disease registries to better understand how many people are affected and the different forms these diseases take.”
He said stronger local research would help improve treatment guidelines and enable better planning for future healthcare needs.
Barasa also welcomed the growing use of artificial intelligence in medicine but cautioned against viewing it as a solution to deeper structural problems.
“Within the next decade, AI will likely become part of every physician’s daily work, but it still has significant limitations and is not yet fully reliable,” he said.
Kisaka said cardiovascular diseases account for roughly 13 per cent of deaths in Kenya and between a quarter and half of hospital admissions, underlining the urgency of improving prevention and treatment as the country pursues Universal Health Coverage.
Kenya’s growing appeal as a medical tourism destination reflects years of investment in specialist healthcare. Yet the country’s greatest test may be ensuring that the same quality of care attracting overseas patients becomes affordable and accessible for the people who need it most at home.
About the Author
