NewzNAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 1 — Travellers entering Kenya will be required to have insurance that provides at least US$25,000 in emergency medical transportation cover under new mandatory inbound travel health insurance requirements gazetted by the government. The emergency medical transportation benefit is the largest single component of the minimum insurance package outlined in Gazette Notice No. 11492 issued by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.
The notice, dated July 29, 2026, provides that mandatory inbound travel health insurance must include cover for emergency medical transportation, allowing insured travellers to meet costs associated with emergency medical intervention or evacuation. The requirement forms part of Kenya’s implementation of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, and the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024. Under the new requirements, inbound travellers must have a minimum US$25,000 benefit for emergency medical transportation.
The cover is designed to cater for situations where a traveller requires urgent medical attention and must be transported for emergency treatment or evacuated because of a medical emergency. Emergency medical transportation can represent a significant cost, particularly when a traveller requires urgent evacuation or specialised medical care. By prescribing a minimum benefit, the government has established a baseline level of financial protection for insured travellers entering Kenya.
The emergency medical transportation cover is part of a wider mandatory insurance package with a cumulative policy benefit limit of not less than US$50,000. The gazetted minimum benefits are: Emergency medical transportation — US$25,000 Medical expenses — US$20,000 Repatriation of mortal remains — US$5,000 Mental illness — US$1,000 Prescribed medicines — US$300 The notice specifies that the cumulative policy benefit limit must not be less than US$50,000. The mandatory policy will also provide at least US$20,000 for medical expenses.
This provision is intended to provide financial protection for travellers who require medical treatment during their stay in Kenya. The separate emergency transportation benefit means the policy addresses both the cost of medical treatment and the potentially significant expenses associated with transporting a traveller during a medical emergency. The government has also set a minimum US$5,000 benefit …
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