Respiratory conditions include asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other pulmonary infections,
with health officials citing air pollution and seasonal weather changes as
major contributors.
Nearly four out of
every ten sick Kenyans who visit health facilities are diagnosed with a respiratory diseases or malaria.
This is according to
the Economic Survey 2025, released in Nairobi on Tuesday.
Outpatient records
indicate that respiratory illnesses made up 30.2 per cent of the 66.2 million
total disease cases treated last year, an increase from 22.4 per cent in 2023.
Such conditions include asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other pulmonary infections,
with health officials citing air pollution and seasonal weather changes as
major contributors.
Malaria followed, comprising
5.7 per cent of the disease burden. While this reflects a decline from the previous
year’s 5.3 million cases, it still represents a significant public health
challenge, particularly in endemic regions.
Diseases of the skin,
diarrhoea, and urinary tract infections also maintained a substantial presence,
each accounting for over 4 per cent of reported cases. Meanwhile, rheumatism and joint-related illnesses
affected 2.6 per cent of patients, reflecting the impact of an aging population and
occupational strain.
Perhaps most notably,
the overall disease burden dropped by 24.6 per cent compared to the
previous year, indicating an encouraging trend in general health or a shift in
healthcare-seeking behaviour.
However, this could also
be related to Kenyans failing to visit hospitals during the messy transition to
Social Health Authority.
“Registration of citizens to SHA began on 1st July 2024 while the roll out was from 1st October 2024,” the report indicates..
Medical experts are also urging continued
investment in preventive care, improved sanitation, and health education,
especially in rural and high-density urban areas.
The report also
suspiciously mentions someone was found with Guinea-worm disease, a crippling
parasitic disease caused by Dracunculus medinensis – a long, thread-like worm.
This is surprising
because Kenya was certified free of Guinea Worm Disease (GWD) and given a certificate
in 2018.