When I came to Kenya in 2012, a lot of heart patients were still travelling overseas to receive treatment. In the last decade I have seen this tide changing. I don’t remember the last time I saw a patient who decided to travel out of the country for treatments that are available and commonly performed here in Kenya.
This has happened alongside a growth in local healthcare systems. Today, we have the expertise, technology, and infrastructure needed to handle some of the most complex cardiac cases.
Kenya has highly trained cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, and interventional specialists who have studied and worked in some of the best institutions worldwide.
Hospitals like The Aga Khan University Hospital have top-tier heart units capable of performing complex surgeries such as bypass grafting, valve replacements, and congenital heart defect repairs. Part of the reason behind this has been the opportunity for specialists to receive high quality training here in Kenya.
In 2012, Aga Khan University Hospital partnered with the Canadian International Development Agency CIDA in Canada to develop the first formal interventional cardiology training programme in Kenya.
This highly competitive programme has trained doctors from across the continent including specialists coming to learn these techniques from Tanzania, Rwanda and Cameroon.
Gone are the days when Kenya lacked specialised heart treatment facilities. Today, we have modern cardiac catheterisation labs, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machines, cardiac MRI, and CT angiography in multiple hospitals.
In Aga Khan and at the KU Teaching and Referral Hospital, nuclear medicine facilities have allowed the introduction of PET CT of the heart, technology which isn’t available in many advanced centres in Europe and Asia. This means my patients can receive the same or higher level of care they would get overseas without leaving the country.
Historically, Indian hospitals were able to offer lower costs for procedures than in Africa due to economies of scale. Even then, the total expense of traveling - including flights, accommodation, and post-operative follow-ups - often made it much more expensive for the patient and their family. In the last five years, the growth in local cardiology volume has helped patients avoid these additional financial burdens.
Heart surgery is just the first step. Post-operative follow-ups, medication adjustments, and long-term monitoring are just as important. When a patient gets treatment abroad, they often struggle with follow-up care once they return. By treating them locally, we ensure seamless care from diagnosis to recovery.
For heart patients, long flights can be dangerous due to increased risks of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), dehydration, and oxygenation issues. I prefer to avoid putting my patients through such unnecessary risks when the same treatment is available locally.
Kenya is becoming a medical hub
Kenya is already attracting patients from across many African countries including Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Somalia, DRC, Nigeria, Malawi and South Sudan among others for heart treatment, proving that our system is strong enough.
Instead of referring patients to India, I believe in building stronger partnerships within Africa, particularly with hospitals in South Africa and Egypt, which offer excellent cardiac care.
Investing in our healthcare system
Every time we refer a patient abroad, we weaken our own healthcare system by directing resources elsewhere. By keeping treatment within Kenya, we boost our medical sector, attract more specialists, and improve the overall quality of care for everyone.
Quality standards drive trust in local healthcare
For patients to confidently choose Kenyan institutions over those overseas, they must trust the quality and consistency of care. Word of mouth counts for a lot, but hospitals which actively look to improve must consistently measure their performance.
This means enforcing hospital accreditation, specialist training, and rigorous medical audits to ensure local heart treatments match or exceed international benchmarks of best practice. Governance and quality are the foundation of a self-sufficient and trusted healthcare system.
Demonstrating high standards and accountability consistently will ensure that local heart treatment is not just an option but the preferred choice.
Kenya has the expertise, technology, and infrastructure to handle even the most complex heart conditions.
By keeping patients here, we ensure better care, lower costs, fewer risks, and a stronger healthcare system for the future. Local institutions which have actively invested in international bench-marking and quality assessments are now being seen not just as an option but as the preferred choice.
Dr Mohamed Jeilan is Director, Cardiac Services and Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi
