Pneumonia biggest killer disease

Cabinet secretaries Anne Waiguru, Hassan Wario (centre) and Adan Mohammed during the launch of the 2013 Economic Survey report at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi Thursday. PHOTO/JENNIFER MUIRURI  NATION

By JOY WANJA MURAYA jwanja@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Thursday, May 23  2013 at  21:53

 

Pneumonia is the leading killer disease in Kenya, according to the 2013 Economic Survey.

The respiratory system disease kills thousands every year.

In February 2011, President Mwai Kibaki launched the pneumococcal vaccine, designed to contain the condition, the second highest killer of children below five years after malaria.

The vaccine is provided free in all public health centres and is an addition to the schedule of vaccines given to babies shortly after birth.

Statistics from the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation indicate that one in every five deaths in the country is attributed to pneumonia.

Every five deaths

In 2011, Kenya entered into negotiations with the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations for a Sh3.2 billion annual grant for the supply of the vaccine over five-years.

Under the deal, Kenya would contribute Sh72 million annually towards this cost for the next five years.

Other diseases that have been described as top killers include malaria, cancer and Aids.

The report further states that the number of health institutions also increased by 4.6 per cent from 8,006 in 2011 to 8,375 in 2012. This was partly attributed to the Constituency Development Fund.

Eastern recorded the highest increase in the number of health centres and hospitals.

The number of registered medical staff also increased by 9,409 to stand at 105,369.

For every 100,000 people, the number of health staff increased from 243 in 2011 to 259 in 2012.

Nurses took the top position of the highest number in 2012, while clinical officers and doctors were second and third.

The survey also shows that the total income of the National Hospital Insurance Fund rose by 9.9 per cent to Sh7.4 billion. The membership also increased by 15.3 per cent.

A dispute over revised rates has rocked the fund and employers have called for fresh talks with the government and the National Hospital Insurance Fund.

The new rates will see the contribution of high-income earners in the formal sector go up by about 600 per cent from Sh320 to Sh2,000 every month. The total registered births increased slightly by one per cent from 746,643 to 754,429 while the registered deaths declined marginally from 174,487 in 2011 to 173,912 in 2012.

North Eastern registered the lowest number of births at 30,668 and deaths at 1,995 in 2012 while Nyanza and Rift Valley recorded the highest number of deaths at 29,294 and 32,402, respectively.
Central Province recorded the highest birth registration coverage rates at 68.2 per cent followed by Coast at 56.2 per cent.