In bid to help control and prevent the spread of non-communicable diseases across the country, Ecobank has partnered with Kenya Red Cross Society to raise awareness and educate Kenyans about the diseases which have continued to claim the lives of many.
The move to launch the three-year campaign targeting close to four million Kenyans was announced by Ecobank Kenya Managing Director Cheikh Travaly.
Mr Travaly, who is also the Ecobank regional executive for central, eastern and southern Africa, said the non-communicable diseases have caused untold sufferings to many families in Kenya.
BETTER HEALTH
The campaign commenced on Saturday with a walk and free diabetes and hypertension screening in Mombasa and Nakuru counties during the bank’s seventh year celebrations under the theme of ‘Together for better health’.
It targets to reach 4,000 people every month, translating to about four million people in three years.
Mr Travaly said the bank will commit its resources as its contribution to local communities and to making a demonstrable difference in the health and wellbeing of Kenyans.
"Non-communicable diseases are not only a scourge across Africa but also here in Kenya, causing premature deaths and untold misery to countless families.
"They can affect anyone at any age but there are things that each of us can do to reduce the risk factors of contracting them. We will commit our resources for the next three years as our contribution to our local communities and also as a way of making a demonstrable difference to their health and wellbeing," he said in Mombasa.
PRIMARY HEALTHCARE
On her part, Dr Asha Mohammed, the Kenya Red Cross secretary general designate, noted that investing in primary healthcare remains a critical aspect in the society’s health pillar."Non-communicable diseases form a major part of the Kenya Red Cross Society’s interventions in health. We continue to work with the national and county governments to build individual and family resilience through prevention, disease surveillance and promotion of overall wellbeing," she said.The ailments include cardiovascular diseases (heart attacks, strokes), diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases among others.DEATHSThe World Health Organisation estimates that non-communicable diseases kill 41 million people every year globally, and that the citizens of low and middle income countries, including those in Africa, are particularly at risk, accounting for 32 million of these deaths each year.Currently, over 50 percent of inpatient admissions in all health facilities in Kenya are as a result of complications from these types of diseases while 40 percent of […]
