Health experts have raised concern that several diabetic cases in the country go undiagnosed.
The increasing prevalence of diabetes in Kenya was the focus of the ongoing Kenya Diabetes Study Group’s Annual Conference 2025.
According to Ministry of Health data shared at the forum, an estimated 800,000 Kenyans are currently diagnosed with diabetes.
Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga has said that the actual number of cases is believed to be significantly higher, potentially over two million, due to undiagnosed individuals.
“Many patients are only diagnosed when complications have already occurred—such as kidney failure or heart attacks,” Oluga said.
Oluga said this pattern of late diagnosis results in higher treatment costs, worse health outcomes, and additional pressure on the country’s healthcare system.
The experts at the conference have called for urgent need to transition from reactive to preventive care, with emphasis on routine community-based screening, public education, and early intervention to reduce the long-term burden of the disease.
Kenya Diabetes Study Group President Dr Rosslyn Ngugi highlighted the high rates of undiagnosed diabetes encountered during field screenings.
With many individuals unaware of their condition, Ngugi emphasised the importance of encouraging family-level risk assessment, dietary awareness, and physical activity as foundational elements of prevention.
Recent revisions to the Kenya Essential Medicines List and the ongoing dissemination of new clinical guidelines were cited as steps toward standardising treatment and improving access across different regions of the country.
In addition to clinical recommendations, the forum also addressed policy-level reforms aimed at improving affordability and equity in diabetes care.
They include deployment of 100,000 community health promoters, each equipped with glucometers to support local monitoring and referrals.
The Primary Healthcare Fund, introduced through the Social Health Insurance Act, supports free diabetes screening and testing at primary-level health facilities, whether public, private, or faith-based.
In addition, there is proposed access programmes targeting a 50 per cent reduction in the cost of diabetes medication to improve affordability for patients across sectors.
Despite the reforms, several inconsistencies in the current framework were also highlighted at the forum.
For instance, while insulin remains tax-exempt, glucose testing strips are still taxed—a discrepancy that continues to affect access to regular monitoring.
According to Oluga, the ministry is engaging the Kenya Revenue Authority and National Treasury to explore policy adjustments under the VAT Act and the East Africa Customs Management Act.
Oluga called for locally relevant, evidence-based policies
rather than blanket adoption of international approaches.
“We are not America. We are not
China. We are Kenya. We must make context-specific,
evidence-based decisions,” Oluga said.
He further emphasised that health system reforms should be developed through broad stakeholder engagement, including civil society organisations, academic researchers, and healthcare professional groups.
This will ensure policies are responsive to Kenya’s unique social and economic
conditions.
From plenary sessions to technical workshops, the event signaled growing consensus that diabetes cannot be effectively managed through treatment alone.
Prevention, education, and equitable access emerged as the cornerstones of a long-term solution.
With Kenya facing a substantial and rising diabetes burden, the success of its national response will depend not only on clinical innovation but also on how well health systems integrate community outreach, cost control, and inclusive governance into their framework.
