Study Shows Spike in Cases of Hypertension

Health officials and researchers in Kenya are raising the alarm about a worrying surge in hypertension (high blood pressure) across the country. According to the Kenya News Agency, about 24 percent of Kenyans now suffer from hypertension, but only a small fraction receive effective treatment and control.
A new cross-sectional health‑facility survey conducted in 2023 at eight public, private, and faith-based hospitals found a hypertension prevalence of 29.4 percent among adults Remarkably, nearly half of those with high blood pressure were newly diagnosed during the study, underscoring how many people live with silent hypertension without knowing it.
Experts warn that the spike in hypertension is being driven by a mix of risk factors: unhealthy lifestyles, low consumption of fruits and vegetables, excessive alcohol use, tobacco use, and rising obesity rates. Together with the health sector, they are calling for aggressive screening campaigns, especially at the community level, to detect and manage hypertension early—before it leads to complications like stroke, heart failure, or kidney disease.
Adding to the challenge, awareness and control of hypertension remain very low. According to a recent report, only four in every ten Kenyans with high blood pressure know their status, and just seven percent of all hypertensive individuals have their condition under control. Health leaders are urging stronger investment in preventive care, better access to blood pressure-lowering drugs, and more rigorous follow-up to ensure people diagnosed with hypertension receive and stick with treatment.