Kenya Diaspora Alliance chairperson Dr. Shem Ochuodho, the Chief Executive Officer and Principal Officer at Jubilee Health Insurance Njeri Jomo, Bupa Global Kenya Chief Executive Officer and Principal Officer Uditha Jayaratne and Kenbright CEO and Chief Actuary Ezekiel Macharia at launch of Global Medical Cover/HANDOUT
Kenyans living abroad are set to enjoy improved healthcare
services for themselves and their loved ones back home following the launch of
a Diaspora Medical Insurance Cover in Nairobi on Monday.
The new insurance product is a partnership bringing together
the Kenya Diaspora Alliance (KDA), Bupa Global Kenya, Kenbright, and Jubilee
Health Insurance.
Under the arrangement, Jubilee Health Insurance will provide
local medical coverage in Kenya, while Bupa Global Kenya will cater to overseas
healthcare needs. Kenbright will serve as the coordinating broker, ensuring
seamless integration between local and international benefits.
“People abroad send money back home to their loved ones when
they are sick, but with this cover, their relatives will access healthcare
services seamlessly without disruptions,” said Njeri Jomo, Chief Executive
Officer and Principal Officer at Jubilee Health Insurance.
Jomo noted that the new plan will ease the financial burden
faced by Kenyans abroad who often send money home to support sick family
members.
Jubilee Health Insurance Limited (JHIL) is the health
insurance arm of Jubilee Holdings Limited, one of East Africa’s leading
insurance providers with a strong footprint in Kenya’s private healthcare
market.
Bupa Global Kenya Chief Executive Officer and Principal
Officer Uditha Jayaratne said the cover will provide Kenyans abroad with access
to quality healthcare across borders.
“Health cover is the most important protection you can give
your loved ones,” Jayaratne said. “Since our focus is overseas, we will be able
to identify the best hospitals abroad, coordinate transfers, and ensure members
receive the care they need—that’s what we specialise in.”
Bupa Global Kenya is the locally licensed arm of Bupa Global,
the international private medical insurance division of UK-based Bupa, which
operates in over 190 countries.
Kenbright CEO and Chief Actuary Ezekiel Macharia highlighted
that the partnership bridges the gap between local and global healthcare
access.
“You can buy a cover here at home and use it wherever you
are,” Macharia said, underscoring the convenience and flexibility of the new
insurance plan.
Kenya Diaspora Alliance (KDA) Chairperson Dr. Shem Ochuodho
welcomed the initiative, describing the diaspora community as an “untapped
goldmine” for Kenya’s development.
“We want to encourage the diaspora to invest back home. One
way to do this is by reducing the amount of money they send for medical
emergencies and instead channeling it into insurance cover,” Ochuodho said.
KDA, which represents more than 300,000 Kenyans living
abroad, advocates for the welfare and empowerment of the diaspora community.
Ochuodho added that the new insurance product provides an
opportunity for Kenyans abroad to contribute more effectively to the country’s
economic growth.
Diaspora remittances are a major source of foreign exchange
for Kenya, surpassing traditional exports such as tea and coffee. The funds—mainly from countries like the United States, Germany, Australia, the UAE,
Tanzania, and Canada—support families, investments, and the national economy.
The Diaspora Medical Insurance Cover is expected to make
healthcare access more reliable and affordable for thousands of Kenyan families
with relatives abroad, marking a milestone in cross-border insurance
innovation.