Mama Ngina University College recently organized free medical camp for Gatundu residents in Kiambu County to enlighten and sensitize them on the lifestyle diseases which are on the rise.
During the camp, residents were tipped on ways of living a healthy lifestyle and curb the maladies.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Ruth Mbugua, the head of medical studies at the University, urged locals to adopt healthier lifestyles, including balanced diets and regular physical activity, to combat the rising disease burden.
She noted that many lifestyle illnesses are preventable by people avoiding excessive carbohydrates, eating more vegetables and fruits, reducing meat consumption, and keeping off alcohol, a move that can improve health outcomes.
Dr Mbugua noted that overcoming lifestyle diseases requires both individual commitment to healthier habits and collective action, including public health initiatives and government support.
She averred that individuals can focus on diet, exercise, stress management, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, and getting regular health check-ups. Public measures include legislation, food labeling, supportive infrastructure, and educational campaigns.
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Her sentiments were echoed by Dr. Wagiita Maina, an obstetrics and gynecology resident at the Aga Khan University Hospital, who expressed concern over the low rate of cancer screening in the region.
Dr. Maina noted that cases of breast and cervical cancer are rising because most people only seek medical attention when it’s too late.
The medic averred that detection of the disease in its early stages including stage one and two will enable patients survive and beat the malady.
“Patients seeking healthcare services when the disease has advanced to the fourth stage usually have a slim chance of surviving and it’s costly to manage and treat it. We are pleading with our people to go for early screening so that they can get help in earnest,” he said.
The medics also encouraged residents to revive traditional practices such as home-grown food consumption and community exercises, saying these habits contributed to better health in the past.
This comes after the health experts raised the alarm over an alarming increase in lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and various forms of cancer that are devastating families across villages in Gatundu South.
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The camp revealed that many residents are silently battling chronic illnesses due to poor access to quality healthcare and the high cost of medical services.
Residents who spoke during the event led by Gabriel Kariuki lamented that inefficient operations within the Social Health Authority (SHA) and prohibitive medical expenses have discouraged many from seeking timely checkups and treatment.
“People are really suffering and struggling with illnesses silently in their home. The cost of treating and managing some illnesses is costly and the Social Health Authority is not catering for many services. This has been a major blow especially to the elderly,” Kariuki said.
They appealed to the government to streamline the healthcare system and improve SHA services to make medical care affordable and accessible.
“The government should look into issues like requiring us to pay SHA annually to make it more affordable to us. again, let our facility be stocked with enough drugs to reduce the burden of buying them at private institutions at high costs,” resident Ruth Mungai said.
The locals hailed Mama Ngina University College for the initiative terming it a shot-in-the-arm for hundreds of locals who are suffering from diverse ailments.
By John Kamau
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