Residents of Bungoma have been advised to exercise regularly and observe recommended nutrition to avert non-communicable diseases.
The county government has warned that the diseases are on the rise in the area, with children at high risk.
Residents were told to go for hypertension screening to save lives. Speaking during the marking of the World Hypertension and Cancer Screening at Bungoma County Referral Hospital, Health and Sanitation Chief Officer David Maling'a underscored the importance of awareness creation in controlling the disease.
He advocated for regular checkups and early testing to help in the fight against hypertension and Cancer.
The celebrations, whose theme was controlling hypertension together, highlighted the achievements health workers have made, so far, in fighting hypertension and other lifestyle diseases. The event also honored Prof. Mabel Nangami, BCRH board chairperson, who succumbed to cancer.
“This day reminds us that hypertension is a silent killer because many people have high blood pressure without knowing it. If not detected and controlled early, it can lead to stroke, heart disease, Kidney failure, disability, and premature death,” he noted.
The official revealed that community health promoters (CHPs) have taken a leading role in screening residents for hypertension and diabetes by checking blood pressure and sugar levels at the household level.
Beyond screening, he said the county has intensified advocacy and public education campaigns targeting risk factors associated with non-communicable diseases.
“Our message is that you need to know your numbers, check your blood pressure regularly. Controlling hypertension is a shared responsibility involving individuals, families, community, health workers/promoters, partners, and the county government,” he noted.
Maling'a encouraged residents to take advantage of the free integrated screening services, including high Blood Pressure (Hypertension), breast Cancer, prostate Cancer, cervical Cancer and Colon Cancer.
Deputy CDH Dr. Emma Nyaboke said that early screening and timely treatment can save lives and improve health outcomes for individuals and families.
She encouraged residents to take advantage of the screening opportunity to know their health status, receive professional medical advice, and learn more about prevention and healthy living.
Bungoma County Referral Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Simon Kisaka said hypertension is a major problem and insisted on the need for residents to be sensitised on the importance of early screening.
Dr Kisaka urged the health executive to empower the CHPs as they play a critical role visiting people's homes and screening them.
"Early screening and detection can lead to proper medication, which is why we encourage people to visit our facilities and do the screening. On matters of hypertension, if you're above 18, 1 in every 4 adults is hypertensive, and if you're above 50, 1 in every 2 is hypertensive, so it's 50 per cent, and it's a big problem among us," he noted.
Dr. Kisaka said screening and health education awareness are the best ways to reduce the cases. “The efforts are focused on promoting healthy lifestyles, including weight management, proper nutrition, and discouraging harmful practices.”
He emphasized the need for residents to embrace preventive healthcare measures, noting that early detection and lifestyle changes remain key in reducing the growing burden of NCDs in the county.
"Most of us are hypertensive, but we may not be aware of that, and some of the diseases are preventable," Kisaka noted.
Dr Kisaka encouraged aerobic exercise, whereby patients can strengthen their heart, lungs, and other body parts so that they can prevent getting strokes and other related complications.
