Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care in Kenya
Kenya: Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care was 17.3% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care in Kenya, 2003–2020
Source: Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), Harvard Medical School. Measured in % of people at risk.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 17.3% for risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 18 years on record.
The figure is down 35.2% on the previous year and down 47.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care in Kenya peaked at 61.6% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 17.3%, in 2020.
Kenya ranks 57th of 134 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 18 years of available data.
Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of people at risk | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 59.1% | — |
| 2004 | 58.6% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 61.6% | +5.1% |
| 2006 | 59.8% | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 40.4% | -32.4% |
| 2008 | 39.4% | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 35.7% | -9.4% |
| 2010 | 32.7% | -8.4% |
| 2011 | 51.5% | +57.5% |
| 2012 | 42.9% | -16.7% |
| 2013 | 42.2% | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 48.0% | +13.7% |
| 2015 | 28.2% | -41.2% |
| 2016 | 31.6% | +12.1% |
| 2017 | 28.9% | -8.5% |
| 2018 | 26.4% | -8.7% |
| 2019 | 26.7% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 17.3% | -35.2% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 17.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 29.2%, 59% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 17.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 51.7%, 33% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +57.5% | 32.7% | 51.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 50.7% | 35.7% | 61.6% | 7 |
| 2010s | 35.9% | 26.4% | 51.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.3% | 17.3% | 17.3% | 1 |
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)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 89 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0621 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care in Kenya?
- Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care in Kenya was 17.3% in 2020, according to Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), Harvard Medical School.
- What is the highest risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 61.6% in 2005.
- What is the lowest risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.3% in 2020.
- How does Kenya rank for risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care?
- Kenya ranks 57th out of 134 countries with data for 2020.
- Is risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 47.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), Harvard Medical School, published as part of Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care (% of people at risk). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The proportion of population at risk of catastrophic expenditure when surgical care is required. Catastrophic expenditure is defined as direct out of pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care exceeding 10% of total income.