Duale issues list of healthcare services not available in Kenya
By Cynthia Lodite, September 20, 2025Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has issued a list of healthcare services that are not available in the country, while linking the unavailability to a number of reasons, including a lack of trained personnel to handle the cases.
In a statement on his official X account on Saturday, September 20, 2025, Duale shared a gazette notice dated Thursday, September 18, 2025, where he listed at least eleven healthcare services that cannot be handled in the country.
“PURSUANT to the provisions of Regulation 39 (1) (b) and Regulation 49 (1) and (2) of the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, in consultation with the Social Health Authority and on the recommendation of the Benefits Package and Tariffs Advisory Panel (BPTAP), gives notice to the public of the list of healthcare services not available in Kenya as set out in the Schedule below,” read the notice in part.
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According to Duale, one of the health services, wrist joint arthroplasty, is not available due to the lack of replacement dedicated joints and implant availability.
Similarly, the metacarpal arthroplasty joint is also unavailable due to limited prosthesis access and expertise.
“Wrist joint arthroplasty due to lack of replacement dedicated joint and implant availability, metacarpal arthroplasty joint, and limited prosthesis access and expertise,” read the notice.
According to the Ministry of Health, ankle joint arthroplasty is unavailable due to a lack of surgical expertise and advanced implants.
Meanwhile, according to MoH, for allogeneic bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplants, only autologous transplants are performed at limited centres, owing to inadequate capacity.
Other unavailable health services
“Ankle joint arthroplasty, lack of surgical expertise and advanced implants; allogeneic bone marrow/peripheral blood stem cell transplant, only autologous transplants performed with limited centres; allogeneic capacity inadequate,” read the notice.
Also, other health care services that are unavailable include transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, which is limited by the unavailability of essential tools and consumables, and yttrium-90 (Y-90) radioembolisation due to lack of access to yttrium-90 isotopes and delivery systems.
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Others included “Surgical management of birth-related brachial plexus injuries due to lack of neurophysiology equipment and trained personnel, photopheresis (ECP extracorporeal photopheresis) not available,” read the notice in part.
“Nerve Ablation Therapy: Lack of equipment and trained personnel. Neural Regenerative Therapy: Lack of neurophysiology equipment and trained personnel, proton therapy Not available,” read the notice.