April 25th, 2025

Access to healthcare in Kenya remains unequal, reflecting broader disparities in income and social protection.

2024 FinAccess Household Survey data reveals the harsh realities faced by low-income households, where health shocks and the associated financial burden disproportionately strain their limited resources.

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Link: Experienced health shock vs covered | Flourish

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Health-related shocks hit nearly 1 in 4 households in the bottom 40% income group. That’s almost double the rate experienced by the wealthiest 20%. The poorest are not just more likely to fall sick, they’re also less protected when they do.

Insurance coverage remains alarmingly low among low-income households.  Only 7.2% of the bottom 40% have health insurance, compared to 38.1% of the top 20%. That means most low-income households must pay out-of-pocket for healthcare—forcing impossible trade-offs between medicine, school fees, and food.

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Link: Out of pocket expenditure | Flourish

And these trade-offs hurt. The bottom 40% spend 23% of their income on healthcare – three times more (proportionally) than the wealthiest. It’s a regressive burden: the less you earn, the more of your income goes to staying healthy. This disparity underscores the heavy strain on low-income groups, who sacrifice a greater share of their resources for medical care.

The regressive nature of healthcare spending in Kenya underscores the need for thoughtful action especially for low-income households. What if getting sick didn’t mean going broke?

 

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