• NCDs such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and cancer are major risks of severe Covid-19 and death.
• People older than 60 years also at higher risk of contracting Covid-19 and having a worse outcome than most younger people.
Image: MAGDALINE SAYA
If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer or other non-communicable diseases, you are more likely to get a more severe or fatal case of Covid-19 than healthier people.
The Health ministry on Sunday expressed concern the rising number of NCDs, including chronic respiratory disease, will make the fight against the Covid-19 more difficult.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said on Sunday NCDs alone contribute to one in every three deaths and account for half of all hospital admissions in the country.
People older than 60 years also are at higher risk of contracting Covid-19.
On Sunday the country reported 137 new Covid-19 cases from 3,167 tests. The country has conducted 115,336 tests so far.
Most patients had co-morbidities such as heart disease and diabetes.
“Deaths due to NCDs are projected to rise to 55 per cent by 2030 unless appropriate interventions or sustained attention to prevention and care are put in place,” Kagwe said.
He added, "I advise all people with NCDSs to follow medical advice and observe all Covid-19 containment measures of hand-washing social distancing and proper wearing of face masks in public, among other measures.”
Kagwe said NCDs have the potential to drive individuals and households into poverty owing to the catastrophic costs of care; it's estimated they can decrease household income by nearly 30 per cent.
Data released by the CS showed nearly four per cent of the population is living with high blood pressure, while five per cent has high blood glucose.
“It is equally unacceptable that over 47,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed and 32,000 victims die of cancer each year,” he said.
Kagwe said the diseases are often silent with no symptom for many years even when the disease is advancing.
The vital warnings will often go unnoticed and unless Kenyans create time to take simple, cost-effective and rapid screening tests. By the time symptoms develop, complications are usually advanced.
“The risk of emergencies like heart attacks or stroke is greatly increased. The actions that can be taken early are way cheaper and less risky than interventions later," Kagwe said.
The ministry has issued guidelines on how people living with NCDs can manage their conditions.
They include taking medication regularly and having enough to last for at least one month. Patients with hypertension and diabetes should regularly monitor their blood pressure and sugar at home.
The incidence and mortality from NCDs is rapidly complicating the Covid-19 incidence and mortality
(Edited by V. Graham)