A quarter of Busia residents have high blood pressure
At least 25 percent of the adult population in Busia County is affected by hypertension and other non-communicable diseases.
Non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and mental health disorders are the leading causes of death and disability globally, especially in low-income countries where care is limited.
Speaking at Matayos Sub-County Hospital, Dr Jemima Kamano, who is with the Primary Integrated Care for Four Chronic Diseases project that covers Busia and Trans Nzoia counties, said those between the ages of 25 to 40 are in danger, with eight percent pre-diabetic and pre-hypertensive.
“We conducted screening with the help of community health volunteers and we established that 25 percent of Busia’s population are affected by hypertension. We have 10,000 people on treatment out of 150,000,” said Dr Kamano,
Health and Sanitation Chief Officer Jonathan Ino noted that non-communicable diseases account for 17 percent of illnesses affecting residents in Busia County.
Lifestyle diseases
He said the lifestyle diseases are on the increase and emphasised the importance for residents to embrace traditional foods.
He encouraged residents to be screened regularly so as to address the diseases in their early stages.
“Non-communicable diseases affect many locals. We need to observe healthy eating habits. Traditional foods should be embraced due to their nutritional value for our bodies,” he said.
Dr Kamano is leading a three-year, Sh290 million pilot project to expand AMPATH’s work to prevent and treat non-communicable diseases in Busia and Trans Nzoia counties with funding from Access Accelerated.
The project includes creating awareness about the diseases through community outreach, expanding care at local and specialised facilities, and educating residents on the benefits of the NHIF insurance cover, which is critical to sustaining care.
The World Health Organization says one in four deaths among adult women globally are caused by non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
