CS Alfred Mutua Announces Plan to make Kenya the Leading Medical Tourism Hub

By Eddah Waithaka

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has unveiled a comprehensive plan to promote Kenya as the leading medical tourism destination in Africa.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Mutua emphasized the importance of dispelling the perception that medical treatment in Kenya is unaffordable as part of the overall strategy to establish the country as a top choice for medical tourism in Africa.

“Kenya already attracts a significant number of patients from the region and Africa at large. However, over 10,000 Kenyans still seek medical treatment abroad, particularly in India, due to the perception that quality medical care is overpriced in Kenya,” the CS said.

Mutua spoke after holding a strategic meeting with medical stakeholders, including those running the country’s leading private hospitals.

He urged local hospitals to tackle the belief that healthcare in Kenya is too expensive and encouraged them to find innovative solutions to increase its affordability.

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The CS said he will convene another strategic meeting next month with key players in the medical sector and government agencies to outline the vision of making Kenya the continental leader in medical tourism.

“The goal of this meeting is to develop a robust marketing program initially targeting all COMESA countries through billboards, exhibitions, and road shows,” Mutua said.

The CS emphasized the importance of addressing the perception of high healthcare costs in Kenya and challenged local hospitals to come up with creative solutions to improve affordability.

He also highlighted that the strategy meeting will address the development of international medical protocols for patients and the implementation of a rating system for Kenyan health facilities to meet global standards.

As part of the initiative, the government will launch a new portal that will provide comprehensive information on Kenyan medical facilities.

This will include details of their specialities, certifications, patient reviews and pricing structures. The strategy meeting will also discuss the development of international medical patient protocols and the implementation of a rating system for Kenyan standards.

“This portal will be an essential tool for both local and international patients seeking reliable and transparent information about healthcare options in Kenya,” Mutua said.