Health experts are urging the government to expand Kenya’s health financing reforms to include infertility prevention, diagnosis and treatment, warning that the exclusion of fertility services undermines the country’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC). They argue that infertility is a legitimate medical condition that affects millions of Kenyans and should not be treated as an elective or lifestyle issue.
According to reproductive health specialists, many couples struggling with infertility face significant emotional, social and financial burdens, with women often bearing the greatest stigma. Despite contributing to the Social Health Authority (SHA), many patients are unable to access fertility services because advanced treatments, including in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), remain largely unavailable in public hospitals and are excluded from most health insurance packages.
Experts also note that while some infertility cases can be treated through minimally invasive procedures such as laparoscopic surgery, access to these services remains limited in the public healthcare system. They contend that investing in fertility care would improve reproductive health outcomes while reducing the long-term physical and psychological effects associated with untreated infertility.
The opinion comes amid ongoing implementation of Kenya’s health sector reforms, with calls for policymakers to align health financing with constitutional guarantees on the right to healthcare. Advocates believe integrating infertility services into the essential health benefits package would promote equity, reduce stigma and ensure that reproductive healthcare addresses the needs of all Kenyans, including those experiencing infertility.