Kenyans Abroad Get Relief as KDA Launches Global Medical Insurance Cover

Kenyans living abroad can now breathe easier when it comes to their families’ healthcare needs back home, thanks to a new medical insurance plan launched by the Kenya Diaspora Alliance (KDA).

The cover, unveiled through the Kenya Diaspora Alliance Welfare Association (KWA), has been developed in partnership with Jubilee Health Insurance, BUPA Global, and Kenbright Insurance Brokers. It marks a major shift in how Kenyans in the diaspora can access and support healthcare both for themselves and their loved ones in Kenya.

For years, medical emergencies have forced Kenyans abroad to turn to social media and fundraisers to help family members in distress. The new insurance product aims to end that cycle by providing a structured and reliable safety net.

According to Central Bank of Kenya data, remittances from the diaspora reached $5.8 billion (about Ksh 749 billion) in 2024, with a large portion directed toward household welfare, including healthcare. Despite this, there has been little integration of insurance solutions that link remittances to sustainable medical coverage until now.

The new diaspora health cover bridges that gap by offering affordable, continuous access to healthcare both locally and internationally. It also comes at a time when Kenya’s health system is in transition, with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) shifting to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).

Jubilee Health Insurance CEO Njeri Jomo said the insurer’s role is to connect care across borders, making it possible for families to stay protected wherever they are.

“Health insurance is no longer confined by geography. Families today live across continents, but their care needs remain connected. Our partnership with KDA and BUPA is about making that continuity possible through one integrated system,” Jomo said.

KDA Global Chair Dr Shem Ochuodho said the initiative provides a much-needed sense of security for diaspora families.

“It gives Kenyans abroad a reliable, formal way to ensure their families back home have access to care without the distress that often accompanies medical crises,” he said.

BUPA Global Kenya CEO and Principal Officer Uditha Jayaratne added that the cover will give members access to more than 2.4 million healthcare providers worldwide, including top hospitals and specialists.

Recent reports by the African Development Bank and the International Organisation for Migration show that healthcare ranks among the top three spending priorities for Kenyans abroad, after education and housing. Nearly 60 per cent of households receiving remittances use part of that money to cover medical expenses.

The new insurance product now turns those ad-hoc efforts into a predictable, pooled system that cushions families from financial shocks and builds long-term resilience.