Skyline Hospitals, Street-Level Gaps: The Illusion of Urban Healthcare Access
Skyline Hospitals, Street-Level Gaps: The Illusion of Urban Healthcare Access From a distance, Kenya’s urban skylines tell a promising story. Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu boast gleaming hospitals, specialty clinics, and billboards advertising cutting-edge medical technology. On paper, cities represent opportunity, density, and convenience—a health ecosystem within reach. But beneath the surface of this impressive facade lies a different reality: a deep and growing urban healthcare divide . In the alleyways of Mukuru, the crowded estates of Mathare, and the industrial zones of Nairobi West, millions of urban poor struggle to access even the most basic health services. While high-end hospitals cater to a global elite and the upper middle class, a large portion of the urban population is left behind—underdiagnosed, underserved, and unseen . This is the illusion of urban healthcare access. And breaking it requires rethinking how cities deliver care—not just for a few, but for all . T...