Kenya has some of the most
hardworking, warm-hearted people I’ve come across. Non-Communicable Diseases
(NCDs) are however one big threat we must deal with, if we’re to keep our
people alive and healthy enough to build a better Kenya for us all.
The Kenyan population is ailing.
Most of us can attest to being affected in some way by lifestyle diseases. So what is the problem? Why the drastic
increase in NCDs prevalence? How can we
solve this problem before it becomes too expensive for us to manage? Which is
where we are heading.
A recent staff establishment
analysis conducted by Nutrition Association of Kenya indicates that on average
Counties have 20 Nutritionists/Dietitians including the management teams in the
County and Sub-Counties, serving a population of over 1 Million people. This
means one Nutritionist in Kenya serves approximately 50,000 people. Ridiculous
right?
According to the Kenya Health
Strategic and Investment Plan 2014-2018, the ‘Human Resources for Health Norms
and Standards Guidelines for the Health Sector’ direct that every Community Unit should have 2 Nutritionists, a Dispensary should ideally have 3
Nutritionists, a Health Centre
should have 8 Nutritionists, a County Referral Hospital should ideally
have 22 Nutritionists and a Level 5
and National Referral Hospital should have 36 Nutritionists. There are many variables that could influence
these numbers, but these are at least the bare minimum to work with.
Somebody once said that Kenya has
excellent policies and strategies, on paper, but never implements them. In
fact, numerous delegates from other countries borrow many strategies from
Kenya, implement them, and end up creating rigid, practical systems, while we
stuck-up the policy documents away in shelves, and continue doing things the
same old way that created the problems in the first place.
A majority of Kenyans have no idea
who a Nutritionist/Dietitian is, and those with a clue, including medics and
paramedics, think all a Nutritionist does is tell people what to eat and what
not to eat. This could be the reason why other medical/health professionals, herbalists,
fitness professionals among many others, feel a Nutritionist is not necessary,
and or worse still take up the role of a Nutritionist, then we end up with a
misinformed, confused, sick population. Wanjiku has been receiving Nutrition
advice from people, who are neither adequately trained, nor registered or
licensed to practice Nutrition and Dietetics.
I remember a medical representative
(med-rep) from a reputable company that sells Nutrition Supplements recently
asking me why he should bother contacting or working with Nutritionists, when
he can make more sales by having his products directly prescribed by other
medics and paramedics and sold over the counter. I was not surprised by his
business argument, but I was astounded by his level of ignorance and sheer
greed to increase sales at the cost of ailing uninformed Kenyans, some of who
are so desperate that they will take anything that promises good health.
But let’s face it, as long as the
number of Nutritionists and Dietitians continue to be ridiculously low and
literally out of reach to a majority of the population; Cancer, Hypertension,
Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Obesity among other Non-Communicable Diseases,
which are rapidly on the rise are here to stay. We will also continue having a people ready to
take any ‘Nutrition’ and Herbal concoctions, as long as they promise to ‘save’
them from pre-mature death due to disease; because the Professionals who
actually understand the science of Nutrition, Nutrients and the bio-chemical
processes that come with it are literally out of reach!
Our People are Ailing,
Over-spending and very unfortunately complicating from medical conditions that
can very effectively be prevented and where already present, they can be
effectively managed through Nutrition and many lives saved.
Ironically, over 1,000 highly qualified and Registered Nutritionists/Dietitians,
who can provide Kenyans with Behavior Change Communication to curb the increase
of diseases, help take Kenyans back to optimal health, provide effective
Nutrition Management to those who are sick and prevent disease relapse, are
unemployed.
This is an unfortunate reality, and
we can only hope that the Council of Governors and ALL Governors in Kenya
listen to our pleas and close the ridiculous gap in Nutritionists/Dietitians
staffing establishment in ALL Counties.
NUTRITION IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT
and it does not end with having food on Your Plate. NO! That is actually where
it begins. NUTRITION IS THE FOUNDATION OF OPTIMAL HEALTH! The more we put
Nutrition on the back burner, the sicker we will become.
We will discuss
Nutritionists/Dietitians’ role, duties and responsibilities in healthcare in
the follow-up article.
Until then, remember that Your
Health is Your Responsibility. Get a check-up today, if you haven’t, workout
and eat healthy!
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