Assessing Healthcare Access for Urban Refugees in Kenya: Challenges and Opportunities

Assessing Healthcare Access for Urban Refugees in Kenya: Challenges and Opportunities

From April 29th to May 3rd, 2025, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) Coast Regional Office conducted an investigative mission to assess the right to health for urban refugees living in Mombasa County and neighboring areas such as Mtwapa (Kilifi County) and Denyenye (Kwale County).

This initiative responded to numerous complaints about barriers refugees face in accessing healthcare, including stigma, lack of documentation, financial hardship, and limited availability of chronic and mental health services. The investigation engaged 18 refugee households, health facilities, and relevant institutions to understand how these challenges affect the refugees’ ability to enjoy their right to health in a context where health infrastructure is already strained and refugee needs are often excluded from county planning.

The mission revealed significant gaps in healthcare access caused by systemic exclusion, cultural and language barriers, and under-resourced facilities. Health institutions expressed willingness to assist but remain ill-equipped to meet the complex needs of refugee populations. While the legal framework in Kenya provides for refugees’ right to health, implementation falls short due to resource constraints and inadequate refugee-sensitive services.

KNCHR recommends policy reforms to integrate refugees fully into national and county health systems, increased training for health workers on refugee rights, enhanced documentation and legal aid for refugees, and strengthened multi-stakeholder collaboration to ensure equitable, culturally appropriate healthcare access that upholds dignity and human rights.