Kenyans React as Karen Hospital Charges Sh50,000 for Male Circumcision

The Karen Hospital sparked a debate on social media on Wednesday after announcing new prices for male circumcision.

Through an advertisement published on its official Twitter page, the hospital said circumcision under local anesthesia will cost Sh40,000 and Sh50,000 using general anesthesia.

The charges, the health facility said, are exclusive of the doctors’ consultations and procedures carried out before and after surgery, bed charges incurred for an overnight stay, and discharge supplements.

“Call us today on 0726 222 002 to book your circumcision appointment. Our Resident Surgeon, Dr. Lance Mayabi, is ready to receive you and walk the journey with you,” the hospital said.

The advert elicited mixed reactions from Kenyans online, a majority of whom termed the prices as highly exaggerated and exploitative given that the same procedure costs as low as Sh500 in some facilities.

@nyongesaremmy1 said: ‘If it goes beyond 20k (inclusive of management until it heals), let my ngariba man do it the traditional way.”

@sirken86263924 tweeted: “Total joke!!! This thing is done btn ksh 500-1500.”

@David_Munge quipped: “Weh! Wacha akae bila kukatwa...”

@AgolaLinda wrote: “It is this expensive??!! Feels exaggerated 😲”

@sweetmemoir1999 said: “I mean what's special by paying 50k for this? You're encouraging the spread of HIV. So unacceptable.”

The Karen Hospital is a 102-bed multispecialty Hospital located in Karen, Nairobi.