Nairobi Kenya, 4th April 2012 -- Kenya marked this year’s World Health Day on 4th April 2012. In marking the Day, the Minister for Public Health and Sanitation, Honourable Beth Mugo called on people of all ages in Kenya to adopt health lifestyles as an investment into healthy and active ageing. This year’s commemoration was marked under the global theme focusing of “ageing and health” and was commemorated through series of events, including a media advocacy and sensitization event of 4th April 2012.

In her speech, she noted a rebounding and improvement of country’s life expectancy to 58.9 years currently from the decline orchestrated by HIV/AIDS between the 90s and 2010. Although the country has a young population i.e. 60% of the population are aged below 30 years; this youthful population needs to be encouraged to live a healthy lifestyle now in order to have a healthy and economically productive ageing in future.

The minister indicated that Kenya was currently implementing a health strategy anchored around life-cycle cohorts which helps to ensure targeting of health services delivery to all age groups and life cycle cohorts from beginning of life and throughout to old age. To strengthen health services delivered, the Ministry has developed a number of strategies to address key health risk factors; including tobacco use, alcohol abuse, physical inactivity and unhealthy diets.

Hon. Mugo also stressed the need to tackle other broad determinants of health such as education, economy, social status, migration to urban areas and globalization as key factors affecting the health and ageing of our population. She urged all sectors to work together in ensuring and promoting healthy environments.

Finally, the Minister advised all to embrace healthy lifestyles, including adopting good diets and nutritional habits, engaging in physical activities, avoiding exposure to tobacco, excessive alcohol intake and other toxic substances and to have frequent medical check-ups to detect early diseases.

In attendance was the WHO/Kenya Officer in Charge (OIC), Dr Rex Mpazanje, who in his remarks, noted current projections of dramatic increase in population aging in low- and middle-income countries in next 30 years. He pointed out that, this increase in older population will be an added challenge to our already strained health and social security systems. It will increase prevalence of non-communicable diseases and the need for long-term care.

He therefore advised on need for governments to substantively invest in promoting health lifestyles, diets and behaviours as an investment to healthy ageing for current population. He commended the Government for having a social security system for its older citizens and urged further provisions especially within the health sector. Dr Mpazanje reiterated on the need for promoting healthy lifestyles across the life-course; creating age-friendly environments that foster the health and participation of older citizens; as well as provision of access to basic primary health care, long-term care and palliative care.

Finally, he called on all stakeholders (governments, civil society, members of the media and the private sector) to commit their efforts and resources towards ensuring that people everywhere have a chance to grow older in good health.

Kenya Medical Training College entertained the crowd during the event with a theme of health lifestyles and behaviours.

Members of the media and public present at the event were given a chance to interact with officials from the Ministry of Public and Sanitation, WHO and other partners through a question and answers section.

Celebrating healthy ageing - World Health Day commemorations

For further information, please contact:

World Health Organization, Kenya 4th floor ACK Garden House.
1st Ngong Avenue off Bishop Rd.
P.O. BOX 45335, 00100 (GPO)
Nairobi, Kenya.

wrkenya [at] ke.afro.who.int