Cardiovascular Journal of Africa: Vol 32 No 3 (MAY/JUNE 2021)

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CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Volume 32, No 3, May/June 2021 166 AFRICA
Weaknesses
Kenya does not have a national strategy or plan that specifically
addresses CVD and their risk factors or RHD prevention and
control as a priority. Although the country’s Poverty Reduction
Strategy Paper and National Development Plan, Vision 2030,
include health under the social pillar, NCDs are not mentioned.
Furthermore, implementation of the nutritional strategy is weak.24
Threats
Raised BP levels among Kenyans are a matter of concern, as
in the other countries under investigation, except Ethiopia and
Rwanda that had levels below 20% among men and women. A
project by Abt Associates was done to find the best approach
to addressing NCDs in Kenya.31 Heart disease and diabetes
were increasing, with hypertension being the leading cause of
CVD. The Healthy Heart Africa programme was established
with the main barriers being a lack of awareness, insufficient
screening and inadequate access to affordable medication for
hypertension.31
Kenya’s total CVD mortality rate (13.8%) is higher than
most of the other African countries participating in the CVD
Scorecard project; those with a higher rate are South Africa
(16.1%), Namibia (17.7%), Sudan (33%) and Tunisia (51.5%).
Although the prevalence of RHD (1.2%) is higher than most
of these countries, the mortality rate, in comparison, is similar
or lower, with only Namibia having a lower rate at 0.11 versus
0.14%.
Tobacco use among young men is high at almost 13%, while
more young women (6.7%) were found to make use of this habit
than adult women (4.1%). Almost 90% of adolescents are not
physically active according to the daily 60 minutes of moderate-
to vigorous-intensity PA recommended by the WHO.
Priorities and achievements
To achieve global and national health goals highlighted in
the Sustainable Development Goals, strengthening the health
workforce through policy, adequate financing, planning,
recruitment, training and retention will ensure improved access
to healthcare and health systems.30
In a study on the determinants of CVD mortality, it was
suggested that prevention and adherence to treatment for CVD
be addressed at the policy, population and individual level, along
with socio-economic factors.32
Dissemination of the National CVD guidelines launched by
the MoH in 2018 to improve heart health outcomes of Kenyans
has commenced at various workshops throughout the country.
CVD prevention, hypertension control, heart failure and RHD
are top-listed to receive attention by health professionals and
related officials.33 KCS, through the WHF’s World Heart Grant
Programme, initiated a campaign, ‘Meet your Heart Doctor’.34
The main objectives are to:
• increase awareness of heart diseases and the link between
COVID-19 and CVD
• educate people to manage their condition and prevent
COVID-19 infection
• build up the capacity for KCS to interact more effectively with
patients and develop a strategy for meaningful engagement
with this population.
The country is continually training healthcare workers on
hypertension and heart failure. So far 1 500 health workers have
been trained in Kenya and we plan to train more (GG, pers
commun). Improvement of routine data systems for CVD is a
priority in the MoH in Kenya.
This publication was reviewed by the PASCAR Governing Council and
approved by the president of the Kenya Cardiac Society.
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