Minet challenges Kenyans to undertake regular health checks for disease prevention

Over 900 Nairobi residents have benefited from the just concluded four-day Minet Kenya free medical check-up exercise. Health services on offer included free physician consultation, eye and dental check-up, random blood sugar test, blood pressure, body fat and Body Mass Index (BMI) screening, electrocardiogram (ECG) test for patients with hypertension and nutritional coaching.

Speaking on the initiative, Minet Kenya’s Chief Executive Officer Sammy Muthui reiterated that the company is committed to promoting wellness and creating awareness on rising cases of non-communicable diseases and thus, the importance of regular medical check-ups in their prevention.

“While most of the non-communicable diseases like Diabetes, Cancer, and Hypertension are silent, insidious, and frequently present with no symptoms until advanced stages, many people are not aware of their current health status and exposure. Regular health check-up can detect potentially life-threatening health conditions early increasing the chance of good treatment outcomes and arrest the emergence of complications,” says Mr Muthui.

Globally, a 2021 World Health Organisation report estimates that 41 million people die annually as a result of non-communicable diseases which is equivalent to 71 percent of all deaths. Additionally, more than 15 million people die between the ages of 30 and 69 years; 88 percent of these “premature” deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. In Kenya, non-communicable diseases account for 39 percent of deaths annually according to Ministry of Health reports.

“As stakeholders in the healthcare sector, we are determined to play a role towards changing the public attitude in Kenya from the curative orientation to that of prevention in controlling NCDs in Kenya,” he adds.

The wellness week comes at a time when Kenyans continue to grapple with non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer that are increasingly affecting many and burdening the country’s healthcare system. According to the Ministry of Health Non-Communicable-Disease-NCD-Strategic-Plan-2021-2025, NCDs account for approximately 39 per cent of deaths in the country. This number is projected to increase by 55 per cent by 2030. Additionally, NCDs have been shown to decrease household income by 28.6 per cent in Kenya thus subjecting families to catastrophic expenditure spiralling them into a vicious cycle of poverty.

The wellness week is in partnership with various medical service providers in the industry.