Nairobi Hospitals Invest in Digital Health Technologies

Kenya Launches East Africa’s First AI-Powered CT Scanner — Major Boost for Diagnostics and Cancer, Kidney Care
Nairobi — On 15 June 2025, Aden Duale, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, officially commissioned East Africa’s first 256-slice CT scanner — powered by artificial intelligence — at The Nairobi Hospital. The new scanner promises faster and more precise imaging while reducing radiation exposure, offering important improvements for diagnostics in cardiology, oncology, neurology, trauma, pediatrics and orthopaedics.
The launch also marked the start of a strategic collaboration between the Social Health Authority (SHA), the Ministry of Health and The Nairobi Hospital. Through this partnership, eligible SHA beneficiaries will receive subsidised oncology and renal services — including advanced treatments such as brachytherapy, radio-iodine therapy, conformal radiotherapy, haemodialysis and even kidney transplants. According to the Ministry, over 11,000 Kenyans spent about KES 14.7 billion on treatment abroad in 2024, underlining the urgency of expanding accessible local care.
The reaction across medical, policy, and patient-advocacy circles has been largely positive. Many view the milestone as a leap forward in Kenya’s health-care capabilities — combining cutting-edge diagnostic technology with a commitment to equity through subsidised services. For patients facing non-communicable diseases such as cancer or kidney illness, the move has been welcomed as a meaningful step toward reducing out-of-pocket costs and curbing medical tourism. Observers see this as paving the way for better health outcomes, improved early diagnosis, and broader access to life-saving care.
Looking ahead, the new AI-powered CT scanner and SHA partnership could reshape Kenya’s healthcare landscape. By enabling advanced diagnostics and subsidised specialist treatments at home, the government hopes to decrease reliance on foreign medical services, strengthen capacity for early detection and treatment of chronic diseases, and move closer to universal health coverage. If the initiative is implemented effectively and expanded broadly, Kenya may become a model for accessible, high-tech medical care in the region.