Fighting rising rates of hypertension in Kenya
Today is World Hypertension Day. Hypertension has become the leading cause of death worldwide. It has been steadily rising in sub-Saharan Africa in recent years. About 25% of people live with hypertension in Kenya. According to a recent study published by BMC Health, among individuals living with hypertension, only 15% were aware of their high blood pressure.
Without knowing that you have hypertension, how can someone manage their blood pressure to safe levels? That’s where Amref Health Africa steps in. We train Community Health Workers to help people in their community to monitor and control their blood pressure. Community Health Workers – like Teresiah and Rachel in Kiambu, Kenya (pictured below) – make household visits to check and record blood pressure, provide education on how to keep it under control, and can refer patients to a doctor if needed.
CHWs like Teresiah and Rachel are essential in keeping their communities healthy and free from hypertension which is the most important risk factor for deadly heart diseases.
