Kenya was a success story of economic growth in Africa until violence erupted around corruption in the 2007 presidential election. This political strife has been a setback for government programs, particularly the decaying and aging health care system. Despite recent economic success, only 4.5% of GDP was invested in the Kenyan healthcare system in 2013. With nearly half the population living in poverty and 43 million people under the age of 15, healthcare in Kenya is in urgent need of reform.
The Kenyan Ministry of Health has made significant progress in promoting awareness for health and sanitation, but the prevalence of preventable diseases still presents a major challenge. Lack of access to healthcare in rural areas and poor sanitation in urban zones accelerates the spread of preventable diseases. Malaria in Kenya is one of the nation’s biggest issues, and while HIV infection rates have slowed recently, HIV and AIDS still impact millions of families. ChildFund has worked with government agencies, other child development groups and nongovernmental organizations to improve Kenya’s healthcare system.