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Kenya seeks to screen 200,000 against high blood pressure levels

Xinhua, April 26, 2017 Adjust font size:

Kenya plans to screen 200,000 people against increased high blood pressure levels, a senior government official said on Wednesday.

Ministry of Health Principal Secretary Julius Korir said the month-long campaign exercise is the beginning of the fight against cardiovascular diseases in the country.

"We are stepping up the fight against cardiovascular diseases because it is the second killer disease in the country after infectious diseases as the top contributor in the country," he said during the launch of the exercise in Nairobi.

The campaign dubbed "Pima Pressure" is part of the May Measurement Month and will see the ministry set up free screening stations in the country's referral hospitals, public universities and various public pick up points.

According to the National Stepwise Survey of 2015, almost one in four Kenyans is living with hypertension and more than half of Kenyans have never had their blood pressure measured.

In addition, more than 90 percent of those undergoing treatment for hypertension have not attained control of the disease.

"We want to encourage all Kenyans to regularly measure their blood pressure because awareness is the first step to better health," he noted.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease with estimates where three in 10 people are living with the condition.

The Steps Survey 2015 also revealed that more than five million Kenyans currently consumed some form of tobacco products.

One million Kenyans consume alcohol on a daily basis; three million are physically inactive and over 40 million consume an unhealthy diet.

The ministry was keen on addressing the growing burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and would implement the National NCD Strategy.

"We have intensified public awareness campaigns and interventions to reduce these risk factors and the burden of the disease in the country," he added.

The ministry of health in conjunction with the Kenya Cardiac Society and other stakeholders are leading the campaign. Endit