Know your numbers: May Measurement Month targets hypertension crisis
As the global community marked the World the Hypertension Day on 17 th May 2025, the national spotlight has turned to the unfolding public health crisis of rising incidence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Kenya, particularly hypertension. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) NCDs, which are also referred to as chronic diseases, are ailments not transmitted directly from one person to another. Whereas they are still not the leading cause of disease and death in Kenya, these conditions are contributing significantly to the increasing economic and human resource loss burden and, therefore, undermining the country’s social and economic development. Responsible for 39 per cent of deaths in Kenya, NCDs have become one of the biggest public health concerns. According to the MoH, 30 percent of Kenyans have hypertension and majority are not aware, hence why it is referred to as the silent killer. If not well controlled, hypertension leads to the most common life-thre...