By Samwel Doe Ouma
Majority of Heart related diseases often rated as one of the highest killer disease among Kenyans is arguably preventable and adequately manageable with very good outcomes, senior cardiologists has said. Nakuru Heart Centre cardiologist Dr. Omondi Ogada said most people seek treatment when it’s too late rendering most patients to suffer catastrophic healthcare financial burden.
The treatments interventions are expensive and lead to poor quality of life as a result of disability thereof. He explained that the risk of heart disease varies across geographical locations, with wealthier and urbanised people having a higher risk of heart attacks because of exposure to hypertension cases and diabetes related heart ailments, mostly attributed to unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activities.
On the other hand rural and mostly poor communities are commonly exposed rheumatic heart diseases majorly caused by either untreated throat or skin infections from streptococcal bacterial infection and lack of immunisation.
“People should know how to prevent the major risk factors associated with heart attacks and strokes: It starts with reducing smoking rates, salt consumption, and engaging in exercise. The Health Ministry should provide early detection diagnostic equipments and affordable basic health care for hypertensive, diabetic patients and immunisation programs for children against respiratory tract infections,” he said.
Dr. Ogada added that rheumatic heart diseases are preventable by a vaccination mostly in childhood and through adequate exposure to antibiotics. Other cardiovascular risk based factors such as body mass index, systolic blood pressure and blood sugar level which always varies from rural-urban location and socio-demographic characteristics can be prevented by consistent lifestyle change, physical activities and regular screening for pressure and blood sugars.
“Unfortunately most people seek heart interventions when it is very late, when the damages are very severe therefore rendering patient’s poor quality of lives due to complications. Valvular heart replacement can cost between Sh2.5 million to Sh3 million and Myocardial Interventions can cost up to Sh5 million depending on stage and complications therein”
In Kenya, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) –which include coronary heart diseases, infective heart diseases and rheumatic heart ailments are rated among top ten killer diseases and accounts for more than 13 per cent of total deaths, 34 per cent of total hospital visitations and seven per cent of total Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) in 2017 with a steady increase recorded over the past decade according to economic survey data.
Dr. Ogada explained that management of heart attacks (angina pectoris) is fairly expensive. At times may require thrombolytic therapy or intervention therapy on specialised intense coronary care back-up. This escalates and explains the high cost of treatment involved in managing these conditions.
He adds that most of the complicated heart cases are referred abroad for reasonable chance of recovery, in most cases intensive and prolonged ICU backup approach is required with multi-disciplinary specialist requirements from cardiothoracic surgeons, ICU care physicians and Internist physicians.
Targeted Efforts Needed To Prevent Heart Disease
According to Dr. Ogada the best care option for cardiovascular diseases is that people should seek early intervention. He calls for government to implore the much needed multidisciplinary approach to combat CVD from training of personnel, from specialist’s cardiologists, physicians, cardiothoracic surgeons to Nutritionists and Dieticians who can advise and create awareness around healthy eating habits and public awareness campaigns on the causes of CVD to prevention mechanisms.
“Apart from increasing the number of specialists, the government needs to urgently invest in diagnostic equipment in all counties where access to screening is a problem rendering people to seek interventions when it’s too late,” he said.
Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death worldwide and unfortunately, the numbers are rising, and they are rising fastest in low and middle-income countries despite the fact that they can be prevented.
He urged government to forge private public partnerships with hospitals offering heart treatments so that they can be offered tax reprieves when procuring diagnostics kits and medicines to help lower cost of diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases.
Stepwise first national survey of Non-communicable diseases estimates, point out that some Kenyans salt intake is as high as 40g per day, compared to the 5g recommended by the WHO.
