Share of births attended by skilled health staff in Kenya
Kenya: Share of births attended by skilled health staff was 70.2% in 2016. ▲ Rising
Share of births attended by skilled health staff in Kenya, 1989–2016
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of births attended by skilled health staff in Kenya is 70.2%, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.
The figure is up 13.6% on the previous year and up 68.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of births attended by skilled health staff in Kenya peaked at 70.2% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 41.6%, in 2003.
Kenya ranks 146th of 169 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Share of births attended by skilled health staff in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 50.1% | — |
| 1993 | 45.1% | -10.0% |
| 1998 | 44.3% | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 42.6% | -3.8% |
| 2003 | 41.6% | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 43.8% | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 61.8% | +41.1% |
| 2016 | 70.2% | +13.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 50.1% | 50.1% | 50.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 44.7% | 44.3% | 45.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 42.7% | 41.6% | 43.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 66.0% | 61.8% | 70.2% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More health data for Kenya
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6026 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,119 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 16,059 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 0.3381 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.18 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 0.3574 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.1826 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of births attended by skilled health staff in Kenya?
- Share of births attended by skilled health staff in Kenya was 70.2% in 2016, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of births attended by skilled health staff recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 70.2% in 2016.
- What is the lowest share of births attended by skilled health staff recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.6% in 2003.
- How does Kenya rank for share of births attended by skilled health staff?
- Kenya ranks 146th out of 169 countries with data for 2016.
- Is share of births attended by skilled health staff rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 68.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of births attended by skilled health staff. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Skilled health staff refers to professionals trained to give the necessary supervision, care, and advice to women during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period; to conduct deliveries on their own; and to care for newborns.