In October 2025, Kenya mourned the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Although details surrounding his medical care remain limited, his passing renewed public debate about the state of healthcare in Kenya. Many citizens expressed concern that some of the country’s top leaders continue to seek treatment abroad, reflecting the waning confidence in local medical services. The announcement by former President Uhuru Kenyatta that he is battling cancer added to these fears, as cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in Kenya even in 2025. This conversation is not new. In 2019, the deaths of Bomet Governor Dr. Joyce Laboso and Kibra Member of Parliament Ken Okoth from cancer drew national attention to the inadequacy of healthcare systems in the country. During Dr. Laboso’s funeral, Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o called for a stronger focus on training health professionals and developing research capacities to support medical care. He noted that investing in people was just as important as building hospitals, since effective healthcare relies on skilled doctors, nurses and technical staff, including biomedical engineers, to manage and maintain medical technologies.[1] The COVID-19 pandemic later made clear how essential biomedical engineers are in sustaining Kenya’s health system. As hospitals struggled with ventilator shortages, oxygen supply disruptions and malfunctioning diagnostic machines, biomedical engineers became indispensable in maintaining and repairing critical equipment.
[1] Eng. Prof. Lawrence Gumbe, “Biomedical Engineering: The Urgent Need,” KeSEBAE News, Vol. 1, No. 2, Thursday 29 August 2019.