Disease Burden
Kenya faces a 'double burden' of persistent communicable diseases and a rapidly rising NCD profile — NCDs now account for ~39% of all deaths, up from 27% in 2014.
Data Sources:World BankIMFKenya National Bureau of Statistics
HIV Prevalence
3.0%
ART Coverage
87%
Historical Trends: HIV/AIDS
Long-term trajectory of incidence and intervention coverage
Leading Causes of Death and Disability (DALYs)
Communicable diseases, maternal/perinatal conditions, and nutritional deficiencies still dominate — HIV/AIDS alone drives ~30% of total deaths and 24% of DALYs
| Rank | Cause of Death | % Total Deaths | Cause of DALYs | % Total DALYs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HIV/AIDS | 29.3% | HIV/AIDS | 24.2% |
| 2 | Perinatal conditions | 9.0% | Perinatal conditions | 10.7% |
| 3 | Lower respiratory infections | 8.1% | Lower respiratory infections | 7.1% |
| 4 | Tuberculosis (TB) | 6.3% | Tuberculosis (TB) | 4.8% |
| 5 | Diarrheal diseases | 6.0% | Diarrheal diseases | 6.0% |
| 6 | Malaria | 5.8% | Malaria | 7.2% |
| 7 | Cerebrovascular disease | 3.3% | — | — |
| 8 | Ischemic heart disease | 2.8% | — | — |
| 9 | Road traffic accidents | 1.9% | Road traffic accidents | 2.0% |
| 10 | Violence | 1.6% | Violence | 1.6% |
Sources: GJHS 2016; Draft Health Policy 2012.
Diagnostic Capacity: The Critical Gap
A 2023 assessment of 223 health facilities across four counties — diagnostic capacity for NCDs is the weakest link at just 25.3%
Communicable Diseases
51.5%
Maternal Health / Cancers
59.3%
Non-Communicable (NCDs)
25.3%
Triage (Vital Signs)
75.5%
Key findings: HIV capacity (84%) and Malaria (74%) are high; Hepatitis B diagnosis is low (30%). Screening is available for maternal cancers, but confirmatory tests only at Level 5+ facilities. NCD diagnostics mostly restricted to basic tests like urine analysis and blood typing. Source: Evidence Brief: Diagnostic Health Tracker (2023), AFIDEP.
The Rising Burden of Cancer
Breast and cervical cancers are the most prominent, yet the capacity gap for early detection and confirmatory testing remains high at nearly 60%
5,985
New breast cancer cases annually
12.5% of all new cancer cases — the leading cancer in incidence
3,200+
Cervical cancer deaths (2020)
12% of all cancer cases — the leading cause of cancer deaths in Kenya
Childhood Morbidity and Care-Seeking (2022)
Fever, Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI), and Diarrhea continue to place a heavy burden on families and the primary healthcare system
| Illness (Children < 5 years) | Prevalence (%) | Sought Treatment (%) | Received Recommended Treatment (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fever | 17.1% | 69.5% | 84.0% (ACT for those who took antimalarials) |
| ARI Symptoms | 2.1% | 82.3% | — |
| Diarrhea | 14.0% | 56.8% | 31.6% (Received ORS and Zinc) |
Source: 2022 KDHS.
Knowledge and Awareness of High-Burden Diseases
Despite the high burden, misconceptions persist regarding transmission and co-morbidity
54%
/ 55%
HIV comprehensive knowledge
Only 54% of young women and 55% of young men (ages 15–24) have comprehensive knowledge about HIV prevention.
97%
/ 5%
TB awareness
Awareness is nearly universal at 97–98%, yet 5% of women and 4% of men erroneously believe that all people with TB also have HIV.