MOMBASA, Kenya — Kenya is facing a growing burden of heart failure as increasing cases of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and other lifestyle-related conditions drive a surge in cardiovascular disease, leading heart specialists have warned.
The experts, speaking during the 43rd Annual Scientific Congress of the Kenya Cardiac Society in Mombasa, said the country must urgently strengthen prevention programmes, improve access to treatment and invest in locally generated research to better understand the true burden of heart disease.
They warned that heart failure is becoming an increasingly common diagnosis in hospitals across the country, with uncontrolled high blood pressure remaining the leading risk factor.
“Heart failure is a condition where the heart becomes weak and cannot pump blood effectively. Patients often experience difficulty breathing, fatigue and reduced ability to carry out normal daily activities,” said Dr. Mzee Ngunga, President of the Kenya Cardiac Society.
According to Dr. Ngunga, rising cases of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption are accelerating the country’s cardiovascular disease burden.
“Heart failure is becoming more common because the risk factors are increasing,” he said.
“High blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking and excessive alcohol intake are among the major contributors. Most of these risk factors are preventable through healthier lifestyles and early treatment.”
He urged Kenyans to undergo regular health screening, maintain healthy diets, engage in physical activity and seek treatment early for conditions such as hypertension and diabetes before they progress to serious heart disease.
Experts Call for Local Research
Despite the growing number of cardiovascular patients, experts said Kenya still lacks comprehensive national data to accurately determine how widespread heart disease has become.
Consultant physician cardiologist and heart failure specialist Dr. Anders Barasa said most treatment guidelines currently used in Kenya are based on studies conducted in Europe and North America, yet disease patterns in Africa differ significantly.
“We need to generate our own evidence,” Dr. Barasa said.
“Our epidemiology is different. Infectious diseases, environmental factors and genetics may all influence cardiovascular disease differently in our population.”
He noted that existing information is largely derived from hospital records, which do not accurately represent disease trends across the wider population.
To bridge that gap, researchers are establishing cardiovascular disease registries that will help generate reliable local data to guide healthcare planning, policy formulation and treatment guidelines.
Government Expanding Access to Treatment
The Ministry of Health acknowledged that strengthening disease surveillance remains a priority as Kenya continues to battle rising cases of non-communicable diseases.
Technical Lead for Cell and Cardiovascular Diseases at the Ministry of Health Dr. Yvette Kisaka said the government is investing in digital health systems to improve collection of health data and support evidence-based decision-making.
“Without quality data, it becomes difficult to make informed decisions on healthcare planning and resource allocation,” she said.
Dr. Kisaka added that improving diagnosis must go hand in hand with ensuring patients can access life-saving medicines.
“You cannot diagnose without treating,” she said.
She said the Ministry has revised Kenya’s Essential Medicines List to improve the availability of drugs used to manage hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases at Level Two and Level Three health facilities, with plans to progressively expand access to dispensaries.
A Growing Public Health Concern
Health experts warned that cardiovascular diseases are emerging as one of Kenya’s fastest-growing public health challenges as changing lifestyles, urbanisation and an ageing population continue to increase the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.
They said reducing the country’s heart disease burden will require greater investment in prevention, early diagnosis, affordable treatment and locally generated scientific research capable of informing policies tailored to Kenya’s unique health landscape.
The 43rd Annual Scientific Congress of the Kenya Cardiac Society brought together cardiologists, researchers, policymakers and other health professionals to discuss advances in cardiovascular medicine and strategies for improving heart health in Kenya and across the region.
