For the first time in modern history, fewer than five million children under age 5 died in 2016 as compared to 11 million deaths in 1990.
Life expectancy in Kenya is growing despite continued struggle with communicable diseases like HIV/Aids and diarrhoea, states the Annual Global Burden of Disease study released this week.
Interestingly, women in Kenya, says the report, have a longer life expectancy than men. Researchers attribute this health landmark to improvements in educational levels of mothers, rising per capita incomes, declining levels of fertility and increased vaccination programmes.
Other factors include mass distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets, improved water and sanitation and an array of other health programmes.
“Life expectancy in Kenya is growing rapidly, but communicable diseases like HIV, diarrhoea, and lower respiratory infection are still taking the lives of many Kenyans. Children are at particular risk, and neonatal ailments like sepsis, pre-term birth, and encephalopathy kill thousands of infants. We have a lot of work to do,” said Dr Elizabeth Wangia, a statistician at the Ministry of Health and a co-author of the study.
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Health landmark
This year’s report is composed of five peer-reviewed papers that provide in-depth analysis of life expectancy and mortality, causes of death, overall disease burden, years lived with disability, and risk factors that lead to health loss.
For the first time in modern history, fewer than five million children under age 5 died in 2016 as compared to 11 million deaths in 1990.
The annual Global Burden of Disease study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington is one of the world’s largest health related report that reveals new trends in illnesses.
