World Hypertension Day

Kenya joined the global community to mark the World Hypertension Day to raise awareness and promote the prevention, early detection, and control of hypertension.
The theme for today is “measure your blood pressure accurately, control it, live longer.”

Globally, 3 out of every ten individual is living with hypertension. In Kenya the prevalence of hypertension is 24%. About 78% of people diagnosed with hypertension are not on treatment. For those on treatment, only 3% have achieved blood pressure control (STEPS Survey 2015)

The burden of hypertension is rising due to unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, harmful use of alcohol and tobacco.
Hypertension is a significant contributor to cardiovascular diseases, the second commonest cause of mortalities in Kenya
Hypertension is a silent killer.
Mostly diagnosed after complications have developed.

Effective intervention includes screening, early identification and early initiation of treatment.

Approximately 44% of health facilities in Kenya are not able to diagnose and treat hypertension (The Kenya Health Facility Assessment , 2018).

Government has prioritized hypertension and cardiovascular disease among the key NCDs as outlined in the NCD prevention and strategic plan which aims to reduce by 1/3 premature mortalities due to NCD, including hypertension.