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Nairobi drops in Africa healthcare ranking
A mother holds her daughter as a doctor collects a blood sample during a free sickle cell screening medical camp championed by the Rotary Club of Karen, Nairobi on July 27, 2024,
Nairobi’s healthcare system has dropped one place to fourth in a survey ranking that tracks the quality of services and equipment used for diagnosis and treatment as well as high-skilled medical personnel.
The Numbeo Health Index 2025 shows that though Nairobi improved by a marginal 0.7points points to 62.8 in 2025, it was toppled from its third position in 2024 by South Africa’s Pretoria— reflecting persistent challenges in the provision of critical services.
Nairobi had posted a score of 62.1 in mid-2024. Numbeo is a global research organisation that tracks the quality of healthcare systems, and cost of living across cities worldwide and publishes periodical reports.
Cape Town, South Africa, retained its top position with a score of 68.8, confirming its status as the city with the best healthcare in Africa.
Windhoek, Namibia, climbed to second place with a score of 67.4, overtaking Pretoria, which ranked third with a score of 66.5.
These cities outperformed Nairobi due to their better-funded healthcare systems, more advanced medical infrastructure, and higher levels of patient satisfaction.
The gap between Cape Town and Nairobi is six points, while Windhoek and Pretoria are about four to five points ahead, suggesting that Nairobi is still lagging in some key areas.
“Nairobi’s health system has strengths in medical expertise, modern equipment, and accessibility. The skill and competence of medical staff scored 63.16 percent, and the availability of modern diagnostic equipment reached 67.12 percent,” said the survey.
In addition, the accuracy of medical reports and the courtesy of staff achieved a satisfaction rate of 69.10 percent, reflecting efficiency in documentation and professionalism in patient interactions. The convenience of the location of health facilities was the strongest aspect, scoring 74.66 percent, ensuring that Nairobi residents have relatively easy access to medical services.
Despite these strengths, Nairobi continues to face challenges in terms of service delivery, cost, and responsiveness. The speed of medical examinations and reports remains slow at 59.03 percent, leading to long queues and delays in receiving test results.
Worryingly, satisfaction with the responsiveness of medical institutions is notably low at 51.03 percent, highlighting inefficiencies caused by understaffing, slow administrative processes, and overburdened hospitals.
The affordability of healthcare is a major concern in Nairobi and across Kenya. Satisfaction with the cost of healthcare was 56.16 percent, reflecting the ongoing difficulties Kenyans face with expensive treatment, high private hospital fees, and problems accessing affordable healthcare through the new Social Health Authority (SHA).
The transition from the National Health Insurance Fund to the SHA has led to confusion, delayed reimbursements, and uncertainty about the scope of coverage, complicating matters for many Kenyans seeking quality care.
While Nairobi’s health system shows moderate stability, Kenya’s broader health landscape remains uneven, especially in rural areas, which suffer from severe shortages of hospitals, specialists, and medical supplies.
Many counties lack specialised services, emergency care, and essential medicines, forcing patients to travel long distances to urban centres such as Nairobi for treatment. In addition, frequent strikes at public hospitals, budget constraints, and delays in the implementation of Universal Health Coverage policies continue to affect health service delivery across the country.
