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The lab report lands in your hands. Rows of numbers, abbreviations you don't recognise, and a reference range you're not sure how to read. Your doctor has moved on to the next patient. AfyaWatch254 built the guide you should have been given at the clinic.
You've been to the clinic. The doctor ordered tests. You went to the lab, gave blood, and came back the next day for your results. The report is in your hands — a sheet of numbers, abbreviations, and two columns of figures: yours and something called "reference range".
Your doctor glanced at it for ninety seconds and said "everything looks okay" or "we need to watch a few things." You nodded. You left. You still have no idea what any of it means.
This guide is for that moment. It covers the blood tests most commonly ordered in Kenyan clinics — what they're actually measuring, what the numbers mean, what falls outside normal ranges, and what questions to ask your doctor.
One critical thing to know before we start: reference ranges represent where 95% of healthy people fall. That means 5% of healthy people will show values outside the range with nothing actually wrong. A single abnormal value rarely tells the full story — patterns across multiple markers, your symptoms, and your personal history together tell the real story.
This guide helps you read the numbers. Your doctor interprets them in context. Both matter.
The CBC is the most commonly ordered blood test in Kenya. It counts the cells in your blood and gives a picture of how your body is carrying oxygen, fighting infection, and clotting.
Red Blood Cells (RBC) Red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Normal range: Men 4.5–5.9 million cells/µL | Women 4.1–5.1 million cells/µL Low: May indicate anaemia, blood loss, or nutritional deficiency (iron, B12, folate) High: Can indicate dehydration or certain bone marrow conditions
Haemoglobin (Hb) Haemoglobin is the protein inside red blood cells that actually carries the oxygen. This is the number most commonly used to diagnose anaemia. Normal range: Men 13.5–17.5 g/dL | Women 12.0–15.5 g/dL. Low haemoglobin = anaemia. The lower the number, the more severe. Below 8 g/dL in adults usually warrants urgent attention. In Kenya, low haemoglobin is extremely common — particularly in women of reproductive age and children — often due to iron deficiency, malaria, or poor dietary intake.
White Blood Cells (WBC) White blood cells are your immune system's soldiers — they fight infections and foreign substances. Normal range: 4,000–11,000 cells/µL High: Often indicates infection, inflammation, or immune response. Can also signal certain medications or, in extreme cases, leukaemia. Low: May indicate viral infections, certain medications (including some cancer treatments), or bone marrow problems.
Platelets Platelets help your blood clot when you're injured. Normal range: 150,000–450,000 per µL Low (below 50,000): Significant bleeding risk — needs urgent evaluation High: Can be a response to infection, inflammation, or iron deficiency
MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume) MCV measures the average size of your red blood cells — useful for figuring out what type of anaemia you have. Low MCV = small red blood cells → usually iron deficiency anaemia. High MCV = large red blood cells → usually B12 or folate deficiency anaemia. Normal MCV with low Hb → may suggest chronic disease anaemia or blood loss
Fasting Blood Glucose This measures blood sugar after at least 8 hours without eating. It is used to screen for diabetes and prediabetes. Normal: 70–99 mg/dL (3.9–5.5 mmol/L) Prediabetes: 100–125 mg/dL (5.6–6.9 mmol/L) Diabetes: 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) or above on two separate tests.
Important: You must have fasted properly for this test to be accurate. Eating before a fasting glucose test gives a falsely high reading.
HbA1c (Glycated Haemoglobin) HbA1c reflects your average blood sugar over the past 2–3 months. It does not require fasting and gives a much better long-term picture than a single glucose reading. Normal: Below 5.7% Prediabetes: 5.7–6.4% Diabetes: 6.5% and above
If you have been told your blood sugar is "borderline" or "slightly high", ask your doctor for an HbA1c if you haven't had one. It is more informative than a single fasting glucose for understanding your real risk.
Your kidneys filter waste from your blood. These tests check how well they are working. In Kenya, this panel is often called UECS — Urea, Electrolytes, Creatinine, and eGFR.
Creatinine A waste product filtered by the kidneys. High creatinine suggests the kidneys aren't filtering efficiently. Normal: Men 0.74–1.35 mg/dL | Women 0.59–1.04 mg/dL. A sudden doubling of creatinine from your personal baseline is a warning sign requiring prompt attention.
eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate) eGFR estimates how much blood your kidneys are filtering per minute. It is the best single indicator of kidney function. Normal: Above 60 mL/min/1.73m² (ideally above 90) 60–89: Mildly reduced — monitor and address risk factors (hypertension, diabetes) 30–59: Moderately reduced — see a doctor regularly Below 30: Severely reduced — specialist referral needed. Below 15: Kidney failure.
Urea (BUN — Blood Urea Nitrogen) Another waste product filtered by the kidneys. Normal: 7–20 mg/dL. High urea alongside high creatinine and low eGFR confirms reduced kidney function. High urea alone can also indicate dehydration or high protein intake.
Your liver processes everything you eat, drink, and take as medication. These tests check for liver damage or disease.
ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase) The most specific marker for liver cell injury. Elevated ALT means liver cells are being damaged and releasing this enzyme into the blood. Normal: 7–56 units/L. Mildly elevated (up to 3x normal): Monitor and recheck. Common causes include fatty liver disease, alcohol, medications, or vigorous exercise. Significantly elevated (above 3x normal): Investigate further — possible hepatitis, drug toxicity, or other liver condition.
AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase) Similar to ALT but less liver-specific — also found in heart and muscle cells. Normal: 10–40 units/L Elevated ALT and AST together strongly suggest liver cell injury.
ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase) Elevated in bile duct problems, bone disease, or certain liver conditions. Normal: 44–147 IU/L
Bilirubin (Total) A yellow pigment produced when red blood cells break down, processed by the liver. High bilirubin causes jaundice — yellowing of the skin and eyes. Normal total bilirubin: 0.1–1.2 mg/dL Elevated: May indicate liver disease, bile duct obstruction, or excessive red blood cell breakdown.
This panel measures fats in your blood and assesses your risk for heart disease and stroke — the leading cause of NCD death in Kenya.
Total Cholesterol Normal (desirable): Below 200 mg/dL Borderline high: 200–239 mg/dL High: 240 mg/dL and above
LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein — "Bad" Cholesterol) LDL deposits cholesterol in artery walls, contributing to blockages. Optimal: Below 100 mg/dL Near optimal: 100–129 mg/dL Borderline high: 130–159 mg/dL High: 160 mg/dL and above
HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein — "Good" Cholesterol) HDL removes cholesterol from arteries and carries it to the liver for disposal. Higher is better. Protective: Above 60 mg/dL Low (risk factor): Below 40 mg/dL for men, below 50 mg/dL for women
Triglycerides Fats in the blood linked to diet, alcohol, and metabolic health. Normal: Below 150 mg/dL High: Above 200 mg/dL
Important: A lipid panel requires fasting for 9–12 hours beforehand. Eating before the test significantly affects triglyceride readings.
The thyroid gland regulates your metabolism, energy, weight, mood, and temperature. Thyroid disorders are 5–8 times more common in women than men.
TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) TSH is the most important first thyroid test. It tells you how hard your pituitary gland is working to stimulate the thyroid. Normal: 0.4–4.0 mIU/L High TSH = underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) — the pituitary is working hard to stimulate a sluggish thyroid Low TSH = overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) — the thyroid is producing too much hormone, so the pituitary dials back
Symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold, dry skin, and constipation. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include weight loss, rapid heartbeat, sweating, and anxiety. Both are very common in Kenyan women and frequently missed.
Free T4 The active thyroid hormone. Interpreted alongside TSH. High TSH + low T4 = confirmed hypothyroidism. Low TSH + high T4 = confirmed hyperthyroidism
Given how common iron deficiency is in Kenya, these markers deserve specific attention.
Serum Ferritin Ferritin is the body's iron storage protein. It is the earliest and most sensitive marker of iron deficiency — it falls before haemoglobin drops, meaning you can be iron depleted without yet being technically anaemic. Normal: 20–200 ng/mL for women | 20–300 ng/mL for men.
Low ferritin with normal haemoglobin = iron deficiency without anaemia — still worth treating. Low ferritin with low haemoglobin = iron deficiency anaemia
Serum Iron The amount of iron currently circulating in your blood. Normal: 60–170 µg/dL.
Do not leave the clinic without asking these if something in your results concerns you:
If you are told "everything is fine" but you still feel unwell, it is reasonable to ask, "Could my symptoms be explained by a result that is at the edge of normal rather than clearly outside it?"
Kenya has one doctor for every 5,263 people — far below the WHO-recommended ratio of 1:1,000. In that environment, the average consultation is short, the explanation is brief, and patients leave with papers they cannot fully interpret.
This is not acceptable, but it is the reality. Which means you need to be able to advocate for yourself — and that starts with understanding what your numbers mean.
This guide is a reference, not a replacement for medical advice. Your doctor interprets results in the context of your full clinical picture. But you now have enough information to ask better questions, notice patterns, and understand what follow-up you may need.
Your health data belongs to you. Learn to read it.
→ Where to get blood tests in Kenya:
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