Busia hospitals to have devices to detect non-communicable diseases

Busia hospitals will be equipped with devices to detect non-communicable diseases so patients can get timely medical attention.

Deputy Governor Moses Mulomi on Tuesday said lifestyle diseases had become a cause of concern with many deaths attributed to delays in detection.

On Monday, Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso succumbed to ovarian cancer at the Nairobi Hospital barely four days after Kibra MP Ken Okoth died from colorectal cancer at the same facility.

Mulomi said non-communicable diseases account for over 50 per cent of patients seeking treatment in local hospitals. He said lack of frequent checkups was the biggest contributor to the rise in lifestyle diseases.

He said the diseases can be managed instead of waiting for deaths.

"We are working towards having bare minimum test equipment for the NCDs in every hospital. We also want to fix all ambulances with trackers to avoid misuse," Mulomi said.

He encouraged residents to exercise and monitor what they eat.

edited by peter obuya