Report Highlights Growing Burden of Kidney Disease

A recent Ministry of Health-led report reveals a mounting kidney disease crisis in Kenya, pointing to a serious mismatch between rising demand and limited renal care capacity. According to the Kenya Health Facility Census, only 2% of hospitals across the country offer renal (kidney) services.
Despite the high burden, many of these renal facilities lack essential infrastructure: fewer than half have all the necessary equipment for diagnosis and treatment, and just 42% of those facilities are fully ready to deliver renal care. The report estimates up to 4 million Kenyans are living with chronic kidney disease (CKD), while only a small fraction who require dialysis can access it — just 10% of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients get the treatment they need.
The growing burden is driven by major risk factors, including hypertension and diabetic nephropathy. Experts worry that the lack of trained kidney care specialists is worsening the situation: there are currently fewer than 100 nephrologists in the country, making access to specialist care extremely limited.
In response to the crisis, health leaders are calling for urgent reforms: wider access to early screening, expansion of dialysis services, and promotion of kidney transplants.They say that improving equitable kidney care is essential to preventing further kidney-related mortality and to achieving Universal Health Coverage.