In Kenya, a civil society coalition calls for an increase in tobacco taxes to fund public health

A coalition of cancer patients, survivors, and tobacco control civil society organizations in Kenya is calling for a significant increase in taxes on tobacco and nicotine products. They say the revenue is critical to sustainably funding an underfunded health system and addressing the rise of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).[1].

Smoking has a heavy health and financial cost

At a press conference in Nairobi, Prisca Githuka, a breast cancer survivor and vice-president of the Kenyan Network of Cancer Organisations, urged the government to act quickly: " We call for an increase in tobacco and nicotine taxes to sustainably finance health in Kenya and reduce the burden of cancer and other NCDs. ".

The speakers recalled that tobacco generates a net financial cost for the country. Robert Marine, a cancer survivor and member of Champions of Hope, explained that " For every 129 shillings [€0.85] collected in tobacco taxes, Kenya loses between 284 [€1.88] and 387 [€2.56] in treatment for diseases caused by this product. ".

Available figures estimate the cost of tobacco-related illnesses at 97.6 billion shillings (€646 million) per year, including 51.1 billion (€338 million) in healthcare costs and 46.7 billion (€309 million) in lost productivity. The average cost of cancer treatment alone reaches 3 million shillings (€20,000) per patient.

Despite this situation, public funding remains unstable. Spending on NCD prevention has declined from 2.25 billion shillings (€15 million) in 2023-2024 to just 749.3 million (€5 million) in 2024-2025. At the same time, patients report frequent shortages of essential medicines and reimbursement ceilings that fall far short of actual costs.

Patients face inaccessible and unequal care

The testimonies gathered highlight the daily difficulties faced by patients: frequent medication shortages, insufficient national health insurance coverage, and high out-of-pocket expenses. The Social Health Authority's (SHA) oncology package, capped at 550,000 shillings (€3,638), remains well below the actual cost of treatment. Added to this are administrative hurdles, errors in patient account management, and unauthorized deductions from mobile payments.

These limitations force some patients to postpone or abandon their treatment. People living in rural areas are particularly affected, having to travel long distances to obtain information or access their rights.

According to available data, NCDs, including cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases, now account for nearly half of hospitalizations and 39% of deaths in the country.[2]The World Health Organization (WHO) projects that by 2030, one in two deaths in Kenya will be linked to NCDs, with one of the top five causes of preventable premature death being tobacco use, which currently kills 12,000 Kenyans each year.

Reforms and a strengthened legislative framework

The coalition is calling for an increase in tobacco and nicotine taxes, currently less than 20 % of the retail price, to at least 70 % of the retail price or 75 % of the total taxes, in line with the WHO provisions approved by the country. It is also calling on parliamentarians to adopt the 2024 Amendment Bill on tobacco control and to incorporate these measures into the next Finance Bill.

At the same time, it calls for the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to strengthen its fight against illicit trade, as well as systemic reforms within the Social Health Authority to ensure a regular supply of medicines and expand oncology coverage.

" Every day of delay costs lives ", concluded the organizations, emphasizing the need for affordable and equitable access to care.

Earlier in 2025, the East African country decided to ban Chinese tobacco imports and impose graphic warnings on cigarette packs, and shortly before the country had strengthened its regulation of nicotine products (electronic cigarettes, refills and nicotine pouches)[3] and its ban on shisha[4].

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[1]Samwel Doe Ouma, Cancer Patients and Survivors Demand Higher Tobacco Taxes to Fund Healthcare in Kenya, Health Business, published September 6, 2025, accessed September 11, 2025

[2]Mercy Kahenda, Tax Tobacco More to Raise Funds for Cancer Care, Lobby Groups Plead, The Standard, published September 8, 2025, accessed September 11, 2025

[3]Tobacco-free generation, Kenya to strengthen its fight against nicotine products, published June 14, 2025, accessed September 11, 2025

[4]Tobacco-free generation, Kenya: Authorities strengthen enforcement of shisha ban, published April 19, 2025, accessed September 11, 2025

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