Expat health Insurance and Private Medical Care in Kenya

Kenya is known to be a magnet for tourists, with its high plains offering urban individuals a chance to see wildlife close up, through their naked eyes, and to go on safari tours of the Masai Mara, a beautiful and very popular location. Unfortunately, this former British colony has suffered a reverse on its health care facilities and the countries internal security system in general. As a result, the number of foreign national’s visiting Kenya has massively declined. Health standards have gone downhill and terrorist attacks aimed at tourists and foreign nationals have become a major threat. The situation has not been helped by the way Kenya’s economy has been run and how it has administered its health care facilities. Other factors are the road death toll, which has been reported as being the highest in the world and the very high rates of HIV and Aids. With the prevalence of mosquito-borne and waterborne diseases, it is easy to see the vital need for anyone visiting the country, to have international private medical insurance.

For countries such as Kenya, an integral part of international insurance is having good emergency evacuation procedures and cover should be bought from reputable insurers who have first rate evacuation services in place. There are a few reasonably good independent hospitals in Kenya but the closest hospitals, with excellent clinical facilities, lie at least 2,000 miles to the south, in South Africa. Expats should be aware that it could cost as much as £50,000 for emergency medical transport out of Kenya, in an emergency.

Kenya’s state health care

Health care has been left underfunded, short of equipment and short of staff, due to the countries dismal economic performance. Nationalised care struggles to cope with diseases associated with poor public health provision and in this equatorial Africa location, diseases such as cholera, malaria, Rift Valley fever, Ebola, dengue fever and anthrax, which can be caused through the handling of sheepskins, are common. Tuberculosis and HIV is widespread in 16% of the population, according to one UN report, which adds to the burden. The state sector is rarely used by the expatriate population, which is now around 80,000 for all expat nationalities. The Kenyatta national hospital, the coast provincial general hospital in Mombasa and the Nyanza provincial hospital are among the best rated state hospitals in Kenya.

Private healthcare in Kenya

The private sector is profiting from the disenchantment with nationalised public medical system and it is able to provide a level of care to most patients, fairly satisfactorily. However, for the best outcomes, transport to South Africa for treatment is preferred. Some of the better known private hospitals are Nairobi Hospital, Aga Khan Hospital, Mombasa Hospital, Diani Beach hospital, Mater hospital, Gertrude’s Garden children’s hospital and Nairobi Women’s hospital.

BUPA international uses its size and large customer base to promote quality and its image is improving. The medical director of the company has stated that the hospitals they work with have made significant advances in their quality and capabilities, and most conditions are dealt with to a very high standard. The two popular hospitals in Mombasa are the Mombasa hospital and the Aga Khan hospital, although sadly, the facilities in Mombasa are not as advanced as those in Nairobi and most customers tend to choose Nairobi for their care. It is also common for some local patients, as well as Expats, to travel to South Africa for treatment but this is only appropriate in a minority of cases. BUPA international’s medical director has looked at the standard of care, professionalism of doctors and the range of services available in Kenya, and has confirmed that they have significantly improved recently.

Pharmacies & medication

The Rx symbol is used to recognise chemists in Kenya. The director of ALC healthcare has stated that most pharmacies are reliable, even though counterfeit and substandard drugs remain a problem. All dispensing chemists are degree-trained and pharmacies in hospitals are better equipped and less expensive, than individual stores.

Insurance premiums

The UK’s foreign office has clearly stated that it is essential to be insured and that Expats should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. Recent market entrant Aviva International, offers some of the lowest premiums among UK providers however, an insurance adviser from Medical insurance services has pointed out that their comprehensive plan has tightly capped outpatient cover and there is no like-for-like cover. It was also expected that new market entrants would undercut the competition to build their market share then, sharply raise premiums.

Health hazards

Amongst the avoidable diseases in Kenya are cholera and malaria. There are cholera vaccines available in the UK which can be administered before departure, if the traveller is going to those parts where outbreaks occur. In 2009, the Kenya health ministry declared an outbreak affecting Nyanza, Western Rift Valley, and Eastern and North Eastern provinces and this outbreak continued throughout 2010 and caused some deaths, even though this condition is treatable through fluid replacement. In parts of Kenya, it is a good idea to avoid tap water and eat freshly cooked meals that are still hot. Avoid raw vegetables that have been washed in tap water and eat only fruit that you have peeled yourself. Another hazard is ice in drinks and it is good to always thoroughly wash your hands after touching anything that could be contaminated, to maintain high hygiene standards.

Malaria

Malaria is prevalent outside Nairobi, in areas less than 1,800 meters above sea level. Resistance to anti-malarial drugs such as chloroquine is a significant problem and drugs that are effective can have serious side effects. This shows that it is worth seeking the latest medical advice and it is best to use standard evasion tactics, such as wearing long-sleeve shirts in the evenings and hanging mosquito nets over beds. These nets are sometimes referred to as the best precaution.

HIV/Aids

Estimates of HIV prevalence vary widely although it has been reported that an estimated 1.3 million people, aged 15 and above, were HIV-positive.

Tourist Crime 

The UK’s foreign office has given warnings for travellers, advising against all but essential travel within poor areas of Nairobi, including all slum areas and townships, where crime is very common. Public gatherings and any demonstrations should be avoided in the interest of safety. It has been stated that any rally, even if advertised as being peaceful, could turn violent and all local media
reports should be checked for information about any planned demonstrations.

Terrorism

Terrorism threats are rated as being high and attacks are likely to be indiscriminate, and likely to include locations that are popular with Expats and foreign travellers. Kenya’s north-east border with Somalia, is rated among the most lawless area in the world, and has been a long-standing source of trouble. Tourists are advised not to go closer than 30 miles of the border.