Nairobi: The government is stepping up efforts to strengthen cardiovascular healthcare through expanded screening, improved access to treatment, enhanced training of health workers, and wider availability of essential medicines as part of the drive towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Stakeholders have called for concerted efforts to strengthen emergency and critical care services and build a resilient, equitable, and responsive system to advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and ensure access to quality healthcare services across the country.
According to Kenya News Agency, speaking during the 43rd Annual Scientific Congress of the Kenya Cardiac Society in Mombasa, Dr. Yvette Kisaka, the Ministry of Health’s Technical Lead for Sickle Cell and Cardiovascular Diseases under the Division of Cancer and Diabetes, highlighted that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain one of Kenya’s leading public health challenges. These diseases account for an estimated 13 percent of all deaths and between 25 and 50 percent of hospital admissions in the country.
The conference, held under the theme ‘Advancing Cardiovascular Care Through Continental Science,’ brought together cardiologists, researchers, policymakers, and other healthcare professionals from across Africa. The goal was to explore home-grown solutions for preventing and managing heart diseases, focusing on the unique healthcare challenges faced by the continent.
Dr. Kisaka emphasized the Ministry of Health’s commitment to strengthening primary healthcare as the foundation of UHC. Community health promoters now conduct routine screenings for hypertension and diabetes, the two leading risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, before referring high-risk patients to health facilities for specialized care.
The Ministry has also partnered with the Kenya Cardiac Society to enhance the capacity of healthcare workers. This includes revising national cardiovascular disease management guidelines launched in 2024 and developing standard treatment protocols for non-communicable diseases to improve the quality of care across the country.
Furthermore, the government is working with relevant stakeholders to scale up several initiatives aimed at curbing the rising rates of heart disease, stroke, and hypertension. To improve access to treatment, the Essential Medicines List has been revised to ensure drugs for hypertension and other cardiovascular conditions are available even at Level Two and Level Three health facilities, with plans to extend access to dispensaries.
In addition, the government is investing in digitizing the health sector through electronic health records and disease registries. This effort aims to generate reliable local data to guide policy formulation, planning, and resource allocation. Dr. Kisaka also mentioned that the Social Health Authority (SHA) has incorporated cardiovascular services under its three health financing funds, allowing patients to access care ranging from preventive services at the primary healthcare level to specialized treatment for chronic and critical illnesses without financial hardship.
Despite the progress made, the Ministry continues to engage the Social Health Authority to expand benefit packages and enhance comprehensive care for patients living with cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Kisaka has urged Kenyans to adopt healthy lifestyles and diets to prevent cardiovascular diseases and other non-communicable diseases by avoiding risk factors like tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, and harmful alcohol consumption.
Kenya Cardiac Society President Dr. Mzee Ngunga reported that heart failure has emerged as the leading cardiovascular condition among adults in Kenya. This is largely driven by uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, obesity, blocked arteries, and heart valve diseases. He noted that congenital heart disease remains the most common heart condition among children, while rheumatic heart disease continues to affect many young people following untreated bacterial infections that damage heart valves.
Dr. Ngunga warned that lifestyle-related risk factors, including smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet, and physical inactivity, are contributing to the increasing burden of cardiovascular diseases and stroke in the country. He stated that nearly one in every four or five Kenyan adults is living with hypertension, many without knowing it, while diabetes now affects between four and eight percent of the adult population.
Consultant cardiologist and heart failure specialist Dr. Anders Barasa emphasized the need for Kenya to invest in locally generated scientific research to better understand the country’s unique cardiovascular disease patterns. He pointed out that differences in genetics, environmental factors, and infectious diseases mean Kenya requires its own epidemiological data to develop treatment guidelines suited to local populations.
Dr. Barasa stressed the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, as it saves lives and prevents permanent damage. He added that while artificial intelligence is expected to transform healthcare over the next decade, the country’s immediate priority should be closing the healthcare access gap by ensuring more Kenyans receive timely diagnosis and treatment for cardiovascular diseases.
