In line with the prioritisation of health as a key human need, prevention has been proven to be an effective means to mitigate and cushion against adverse effects of disease outbreaks and pandemics such as Ebola.
Judging by statistics from the recent past, however, a lot still needs to be done in order to achieve the desired deliverables in terms of reducing preventable deaths from illness, mortality and accidents.
Chapter 43 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, guarantees each and every Kenyan the right to the highest attainable preventive, promotive and curative health standards.
The centrality of preventive health is extremely important in the front towards, for example, the fight against non-communicable diseases, including a number of cancers, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, which are causing many deaths—to the tune of 71 per cent (41 million) annual global deaths.
Notwithstanding, maternal mortality ratios may continue growing in large numbers, with the Kenyan Maternal Mortality Rate at about 510 deaths per 100,000 live births (2015 estimates).
The sad part about losing so many people to these catastrophes is that they were, on a larger scale, preventable in the first place through efforts such as immunisation, disaster preparation and advocacy for health promotion.
Multiple efforts have been put in place to mitigate these issues, but most of them fall in the late stages of curative health, where the financial strain is also felt.
Noble initiatives such as the Linda Mama and the Beyond Zero campaigns have previously seen maternal death statistics fall significantly.
However, more of these need to be initiated and supported. Stringent measures are needed against the corruption and impunity that are thwarting the efforts to minimise out-of-pocket expenditures for the ordinary citizen.
This will enable our public health to be strengthened and belief in the public health system to be restored.
The Ministry of Health needs to take up the challenge of strengthening preventive health, and responsibilities assigned in such a way that tracking them is possible.
Preventive health is more cost-effective and it eases extra resources spent on curative health to be spread out to other health needs.
It also lies upon each and every capable individual to speak out for their rights, and to hold accountable the various people in charge so that even the realisation of Universal Health Coverage comes closer to the ordinary mwananchi.
Naya youth advocate
