Why the rising healthcare spending has failed to heal a country on its sickbed

Hospital capacity has also improved, with beds increasing by five per cent to 106,300 and cots by 8.3 per cent to 12,200.  [File, Standard]

Kenya remains a sick nation despite increased government investment in health services, as both national and county governments raise expenditure amid continued expansion of facilities, rising demand for care, and shifting disease patterns.

According to the latest Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Economic Survey 2026, national government expenditure on health services rose by 22.8 per cent to Sh150.9 billion, while county governments’ spending increased by 23.3 per cent to Sh133.4 billion.