# How is public mental health care financed in Kenya, and where are the gaps?

URL: https://tymirahealth.com/resources/faqs/how-is-public-mental-health-care-financed-in-kenya-and-where-are-the-gaps
For: Executives | Billing and payments | Reviewed by Independent clinical reviewer, Registered mental health clinician, Kenya | Last reviewed 8 November 2026

**Answer:** Kenya's Mental Health Action Plan reported that only about 0.01% of the national health budget went to mental health, leaving many families paying out of pocket. The Taskforce on Mental Health proposed a dedicated mental health fund. The national investment case recommended bigger national allocations and costed county budgets. The World Bank's 2025 study found that financing across African countries remains centralised and facility-based. Insurers, counties and donors can use these findings to target funding.

Sources: Ministry of Health: https://www.mntrh.go.ke/sites/default/files/2024-10/kenya_mental_health_action_plan__2021-2025_.pdf - Ministry of Health: https://www.mntrh.go.ke/sites/default/files/2024-10/7Taskforce%20on%20Mental%20Health-sumentalhealth.pdf - Ministry of Health, WHO and UNDP: https://mntrh.go.ke/sites/default/files/2024-10/kenya%20mental%20health%20investment%20case-3.pdf - World Bank: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099062625151536999/pdf/P500559-c9a551f7-f86e-49ac-88b4-3f7f48de0e1d.pdf

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