Kenya

Healthcare System

Kenya's healthcare system was devolved to 47 county governments under the 2010 Constitution (implemented 2013). The Ministry of Health (MOH) sets national policy while counties manage public health facilities. NHIF (National Health Insurance Fund) provides mandatory coverage for formal sector employees and voluntary coverage for informal sector. Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) is the largest referral hospital. The private sector is growing rapidly, with major providers including Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi Hospital, and MP Shah Hospital. Kenya is an East African healthcare hub.

System Type: Devolved mixed public/private; NHIF mandatory for formal sector
Regulatory Body: PPB (Pharmacy and Poisons Board) — drug registration, quality control, and pharmacy regulation. MOH (Ministry of Health) — health policy, public hospitals, disease surveillance. MPDC (Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council) — physician and dentist licensing. KMPDB (Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board) — professional regulation.
Data Protection: Data Protection Act 2019; supervised by Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC)
Currency: KES
Emergency Number: 999, 112
Languages: en, sw

Coding Systems

diagnosis

ICD-10 (WHO)

ICD-10 WHO edition used in official health reporting and MOH documentation. Kenya uses WHO ICD-10 directly with no national modification. Medical documentation in English.

dental

FDI (ISO 3950)

FDI two-digit notation standard. Kenya has no independent dental coding system. Private dental sector uses FDI notation.

procedures

NHIF descriptive / KHFA codes

NHIF uses descriptive claims (procedure name + diagnosis). Kenya Healthcare Federation (KHF) and MOH have developed procedure catalogues but no standardized national coding system equivalent to CPT or OPCS-4 is universally adopted.

drugs

PPB registration number

Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) registers all drugs and assigns a registration number. Kenya uses INN names predominantly. Essential Medicines List published by MOH.

reporting

DHIS2

District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) used for national health management information, disease surveillance, and reporting to MOH and counties.

Translation Corridors

KE→GB (Kenyan NHS patients — large diaspora community) KE→US (Kenyan-American community) KE→IN (medical tourism — Kenyans traveling to India for cardiac, oncology, transplant care) KE→DE (Kenyan students and professionals in Germany) IN→KE (Indian diaspora in Kenya — Indian medical records for Kenyan care) Regional: UG/TZ/RW→KE (East African cross-border care at KNH and Aga Khan)

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