A Nairobi hospital has stirred up a storm online after publishing a notice indicating it charges up to Ksh90,000 for circumcision for boys aged 14 and below a figure that many Kenyans say is far beyond reach for an ordinary family.
The facility, in a circular shared on Wednesday, November 12, announced a special circumcision package running through November and December. The notice indicated that the procedure costs Ksh70,000 under local anaesthesia and Ksh90,000 for general anaesthesia, with the hospital saying the price covers the surgeon’s fee, theatre costs and post-procedure care.
The announcement immediately spread across social media, drawing both criticism and spirited defence from users.
Many questioned how a routine operation often seen as straightforward and lasting only a few minutes could attract such a steep bill.
“We’ve been doing the 15-minute procedure for free and even giving two pairs of underwear, Ksh500 for transport and a soda,” one user wrote, echoing the reactions of those who felt the package was “pure exaggeration.”
Others, however, argued that the price was not shocking and insisted private hospitals have always charged more.
“The market has many options,” one person said. “You pick what matches your pocket.” Another added bluntly, “Did they come to your home to ask for your son?”
The government has in recent years been pushing the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) programme to encourage safe, medically supervised procedures across the country.
But with the festive season approaching a period when many parents prefer to have their sons circumcised the debate over the hospital’s charges has revived a familiar question: how much should a basic medical procedure really cost in Kenya’s private health system?
