In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, it is hard to think of anything else. And yet, the burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) — such as diabetes and hypertension — remains and continues to grow across low- and middle-income countries. Each year, NCDs kill 41 million people, equivalent to 71% of all deaths globally.
In Kenya, over half a million adults were living with diabetes in 2019, and 40% of them were unaware of their condition. Nearly half of hospital admissions and an estimated 55% of deaths in Kenya are associated with an NCD.
Recently, a World Health Organization survey, completed by 155 countries in May 2020, confirmed serious disruptions in prevention and treatment services for NCDs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that low-income countries are most affected. These trends raise great concern, as people living with an NCD are heavily represented among serious cases of the virus.
