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Chronic diseases are now top cause of death in Kenya
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, are illnesses that are not transmissible from person to person and tend to be of long duration.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were the leading cause of death in Kenya in 2024, according to a newly released report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
NCDs, also known as chronic diseases, are illnesses that are not transmissible from person to person and tend to be of long duration. They are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioural factors, according to the World Health Organisation.
The main types of NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma), and diabetes.
The 2024 Kenya Vital Statistics report which analysed 206,417 deaths recorded in health facilities across the country, shows that NCDs accounted for 61.7 percent of all deaths, a rise from 52.4 percent in the previous year.
Cancer and cardiovascular diseases were identified as the leading causes of death, marking a reversal in the country’s disease burden compared to 2023, when communicable diseases were the leading cause of death.
NCDs are mainly linked to lifestyle choices. Adults aged 30 and above were the most affected. Among men, cardiovascular diseases were the second leading cause of death, while cancer was the leading cause of death among women.
Over the past five years, the number of heart attack cases has increased, largely due to poor diets, sedentary lifestyles, high stress levels, and the rising prevalence of high blood pressure. It is estimated that over 40 percent of Kenyan adults have hypertension, but many remain undiagnosed and untreated.
Cancer is also a major concern, ranking second among causes of death and first among women. The most common types of cancer include breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal. Many patients are diagnosed too late, when treatment options become limited or unaffordable.
“Cancer rose from being the fifth leading cause of health facility deaths in 2021 to second place in both 2023 and 2024,” the report noted.
Meanwhile, stroke is emerging as a prevalent health concern, primarily due to the high prevalence of hypertension and diabetes, which are both significant risk factors for stroke.
Early detection, education, and accessible treatment for these conditions could significantly reduce stroke-related mortality.
Kenya records approximately 92 stroke-related deaths per 100,000 people. However, treatment remains limited due to poor access to diagnostic tools and rehabilitation services.
Only around 13 percent of health facilities have CT scanners while four percent offer stroke rehabilitation.
Response times during emergencies are often slow, especially in rural areas, which makes providing effective stroke care a significant challenge.
“Early detection of stroke is critical to improving patient outcomes, and time is always of the essence in treatment. As a country, we have a significant need in this area and must address the considerable gap through training opportunities,”said Dr Tasneem Yamani, a geriatrician at Hamat Healthcare.
To address the growing burden of NCDs, the government is taking several measures, including expanding a verbal autopsy programme to improve the documentation of causes of death in underserved areas, training health workers to properly certify deaths using the 11th edition of the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) standards, and increasing awareness campaigns to promote lifestyle changes and routine screening for hypertension, cholesterol, and cancer.
