Kenya has been ranked as a regional leader in healthcare, ranking second in Africa in the Health Care Index, according to mid-2025 data from Numbeo.
With a Health Care Index score of 62.2 and a Health Care Exp Index of 110.7, Kenya follows South Africa and ranks ahead of Tunisia, Ghana, and Algeria.
According to the report, a strong healthcare infrastructure helps reduce absenteeism caused by preventable diseases.
It also improves educational and economic outcomes, particularly for lower-income families who often face the highest health burdens.
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Kenya Ranking Compared to Other African Countries
Based on the latest mid-2025 data by Numbeo, Kenya has ranked second out of eight top-performing countries in terms of healthcare quality.
With a Health Care Index of 62.2 and a Health Care Expenditure Index of 110.7, Kenya is only behind South Africa (64.0) and outperforms other well-known systems in countries like Tunisia, Ghana, and Algeria.
On the other hand, South Africa leads the continent with a Health Care Index of 64.0 and the highest expenditure index at 115.4.
Tunisia and Ghana follow closely, both having around a 57 Health Care Index.
Algeria, Nigeria, Egypt, and Morocco round out the top eight, with healthcare index scores ranging from 54.5 to 47.
The countries face ongoing challenges in healthcare funding, accessibility, and system resilience, but still maintain notable efforts in improving healthcare outcomes for their populations.
Top African Countries by Healthcare Index (2025 Mid-Year)
| Rank | Country | Health Care Index | Health Care Exp. Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 64.0 | 115.4 |
| 2 | Kenya | 62.2 | 110.7 |
| 3 | Tunisia | 57.2 | 100.3 |
| 4 | Ghana | 57.0 | 100.8 |
| 5 | Algeria | 54.5 | 98.6 |
| 6 | Nigeria | 49.1 | 84.8 |
| 7 | Egypt | 47.5 | 81.5 |
| 8 | Morocco | 47.0 | 80.6 |
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Kenya’s Social Health Insurance Fund
The Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) officially came into effect in July 2024, introducing a 2.75% monthly deduction from gross income for all salaried employees.
The move was a shift from the former National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) model, which relied on salary-based contribution brackets.
However, a recent World Bank Public Finance Review Report, released on May 27, raised concerns about the sustainability of this approach to financing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Kenya.
The report advised the government to rethink its current funding model, particularly the mandatory contributions under SHIF for certain categories of workers.
One of the key challenges noted was the informal nature of Kenya’s economy, where a majority of workers operate outside formal employment.
This makes it difficult to enforce and collect regular contributions, undermining the effectiveness of SHIF as a reliable funding mechanism.
According to the World Bank, SHIF is expected to raise around KSh67 billion annually—a figure that falls significantly short of the KSh157 billion needed each
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