The Embu County Department of Health has raised concern over the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, particularly diabetes and hypertension, warning that the conditions are increasingly becoming a major public health challenge in the county.
Health officials have said that approximately 60 percent of patients who have been attending a series of medical camps they have been holding for several months across the county have been diagnosed with either diabetes, hypertension or a combination of both.
She reported the figures have emanated from a series of medical outreach programmes they have been carrying out for several months across the county dubbed Madaktari Mashinani designed to take specialist medical care to residents at the grassroots.
Raising concerns over the high prevalence of these diseases, the County Head of Primary Healthcare Dr. Mercy Wanjala emphasized the urgent need for intensified preventative measures to reverse the trend.
Speaking on Friday during a free medical camp at Gategi Health Center in Mwea Sub-County, Dr. Wanjala termed the emerging figures “worrying” calling for immediate action through public awareness, early testing and lifestyle change.
Dr. Wanjala said figures pointed to a severe disease burden that demands immediate intervention while regretting that the ailments were being diagnosed at advanced stages making treatment difficult and expensive.
“A vast majority of patients only seek medical attention when the conditions have advanced to cause damage to other organs such as kidneys, eyes and blood vessels,” she said.
She attributed the growing cases of these NCDs to lifestyle choices, including inadequate physical exercise and poor eating habits urging residents to adopt healthier habits to reduce their risk of developing these conditions.
Dr. Wanjala appealed to residents to embrace regular physical activity, maintain healthy diets and go for routine check-ups, noting that early detection could help prevent complications associated with diabetes and hypertension.
Additionally, the official said the rise in diabetes and hypertension had compounded another crisis of cancer, particularly breast and cervical cancer whose prevalence was on the rise.
She appealed to all women of reproductive ages to go for regular screening and maintained that early diagnosis remains the single most effective tool for successful treatment and survival.
Meanwhile, Dr Wanjala said the Madaktari Mashinani had had a huge impact on locals by enabling them to access medical consultations and treatment from specialist doctors without having to travel long distances to health facilities.
She urged residents to take advantage of the ongoing medical outreach programmes, saying the health teams were moving across the county to screen, evaluate and treat patients while creating awareness about the prevention and management of common illnesses.
More than 1,000 people benefited from medical services during the Gategi outreach camp, highlighting the demand for accessible healthcare services among residents of the area.
Residents who attended the camp welcomed the initiative, saying it had enabled many people to access medical services and examinations that they might otherwise have struggled to obtain. They called on the county government to organize more such camps to address their health concerns.
by Samuel Waititu
