Kenya seeks to tackle rising cases of hypertension

Kenya's health ministry said Wednesday it has developed a training module for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) for community heath volunteers as part of efforts to tackle rising cases of hypertension in the country.

Director of Medical Services Jackson Kioko said the training module will help bring hypertension screening services closer to the people and increase awareness on the importance of healthy lifestyle and screening at people's doorsteps.

Kioko said the government is developing a curriculum for improving the capacity of health care providers at local health facilities to offer basic hypertension and other NCD care, and to institute appropriate and timely referrals where need be.

"The government is currently working towards improving access to advanced diagnostic and critical care services in 98 health facilities across the Country," he said in Nairobi during celebrations to mark World Hypertension Day.

A national STEPwise Survey for NCDs that was conducted in 2015 reported that almost one in four Kenyans is living with hypertension.

Kenyan health experts warn that the prevalence of hypertension among Kenyan men is rising faster than that of women.

Men are also more likely to find out that they have hypertension when it has already affected the kidney and heart or led to stroke.

Kioko said about 20 million Kenyans have never tested their blood pressure levels despite the increase of hypertension cases that contributes to premature death from cardiovascular diseases in the country.

Kioko said that over 90 percent of Kenyans undergoing treatment for hypertension have not attained control of the disease.

Cardiologist and a Senior Lecturer at University of Nairobi's School of Health Sciences Professor Elijah Ogolla said Kenyans must be extra careful since hypertension does not have known symptoms.

"It can only be controlled by applying measured salt intake, physical exercise, diets that incorporate lots of vegetables, eating fruits and non smoking habits," Ogolla said.

He said that NCDs are in the increase and has been killing many people in the recent past in the country.

"Reduce salt intake, be physically active, maintain the ideal body weight, eat more fruits and vegetables and less processed foods and sugary drinks. Also tobacco and stay away from tobacco smoke and drink alcohol only in moderation, or not at all," he said.

Ogolla said that cardiovascular, kidney, eye diseases and the risk of emergencies like heart attack or stroke is greatly increased if action is not taken in good time.

"I had never done a medical test before. I was shocked that I was being fed, taught how to walk again like a small child after I was found unconscious on my way home from church one afternoon," Edward Konzolo, a survivor of stroke told Xinhua.

Konzolo who had never been admitted in a hospital in his lifetime, stayed in hospital for 30 days having been diagnosed with hypertension.

Konzolo, a former teacher attributes his condition to poor eating habits at his school where most of their meals composed of chips, chicken and other tumultuous fatty foods. Endit