Ministry raises concern over non-communicable ailments
By George.Kebaso, May 23, 2024The Ministry of Health is concerned over the slow change in the lifestyle among Kenyans fuelling the alarming rise in cancer, hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.
Medical Services Principal Secretary, Harry Kimtai (pictured) said yesterday the risk factors associated with the rising Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are emerging as major health concerns in the country, and called for urgent concerted efforts to address them.
He said when he launched the National Health Accounts Estimates Report for 2019/20 to 2021/22 that the rising NCDs are resulting in more poor Kenyans falling into total destitution, and a need for public education.
“The out of pocket expenditure on health currently stands high at 22 per cent of total health expenditure,” he said in a statement, noting that also, 7.1 per cent of Kenyans spend over 40 per cent of their non-food expenditure on health, a trend that is now quite alarming.
Kimtai said with Kenya’s population growth rate rising annually at 2.9 per cent, it means that it will continue to place a huge burden on the country’s health services as well.
Moving ahead, he revealed that the Ministry of Health is consulting with other stakeholders on strategies that will enable it to address these challenges. “The need for the protection of the poor households from the catastrophic health expenditure that risks impoverishing them is paramount and noble,” he said.
The PS emphasised that there is a need to ensure that this section of the country’s population seek and receive health care services affordably when needed.
“Its worthy noting that the persistent challenge to the health sector delivery remains communicable diseases accounting for the highest proportion of disease burden; yet they include preventable diseases.
“However, NCDs also persist in exerting pressure on the health system,” said Kimtai.