Phyllis Mwang'ombe, 79, is a former kidney patient who resides in Nairobi. She is one among many Kenyans who have received treatment from Chinese doctors in recent years. Her high blood pressure condition damaged one of her kidneys and prompted her to get a transplant performed locally, by a Chinese doctor.

"I could not afford the more than 300,000 shillings ($3,482) [for the operation abroad], which forced me to turn to well-wishers such as extended family members and friends for financial donations. I visited a Chinese doctor [in Kenya] who did not let me down," she said.

Mwang'ombe said she is not financially stable and depends a lot on her children and grandchildren for support and she now feels healthier than before the transplant.

"Chinese doctors are good. They not only give you good medical care, but also they are friendly, talk well and they do not discriminate or stigmatize against you like some local doctors. In fact, I was given a 35-percent discount for my treatment. I also received a lot of respect that I would not get at any Kenyan clinic," she said.

Mwang'ombe explained that for seven years before the transplant, she had been receiving two dialysis treatment sessions each week, at a cost of $100 per session. After the transplant, her health costs are significantly more affordable.  

"I still get drugs that allow my new kidney to function well. I am happy and the drugs are working well. I receive them from a Chinese pharmacy here in Nairobi. Chinese services, including medical services, are very good in Kenya. Some people have a negative attitude toward Chinese products and services, but not me," she said.

China remains the single largest investor in Africa, with most of its investments funneled into infrastructure. Now experts say that healthcare will surpass infrastructure as the largest single Chinese investment, most notably in Kenya.

"Health care is very important to the country as the economy continues to grow. When there is more money in the economy, people get sick more as they become less conscious of their health. For instance, they spend money eating unhealthy foods that cause lifestyle diseases such as cancer, diabetes and many other ailments," said Dr. William Maina, current Director of National AIDS & STI Control Program (NASCOP) and former head of the Department of Communicable Diseases in the Kenyan Ministry of Health.

A growing number of Kenyans prefer Chinese doctors, because China's medical system is perceived by many Kenyans as one the most advanced in the world. In fact, a number of Kenyans go to China to get treatment as the waiting period to be treated by a Chinese doctor at home can be a lengthy process.

"One can wait very long to get treatment from a Chinese doctor. The professionals [in Kenya] are few, but growing. The services are good and actually affordable. The doctors usually serve patients on a first-come, first-served basis," Maina said.

He added that there are more than 200,000 Kenyans waiting for a kidney transplant. A kidney transplant from a private Kenyan hospital currently costs about 400,000 shillings ($5,000) and the cost keeps increasing, as demand rises each year. A similar transplant from a private Chinese doctor working in Kenya costs about 200,000 shillings ($2,500), but the waiting list is long. The demand for those requiring transplants increases by 2 percent every year, according to figures from the Kenyan Government.

Chinese investments in health care in Kenya could even double as the country now looks East for new markets and trade. China remains the fastest growing investor in the country so far, with a growth rate of 5 percent per year, according to the Kenya Bureau of Statistics.

Kenya will likely see such investments reach up to $15 billion by 2020, according to Germano Mwabu, an economics lecturer at the University of Nairobi. CA

(Reporting from Kenya)