The government has warned that climate change is responsible for the rapid increase in respiratory and vector-borne diseases.
State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary (PS) Mary Muthoni, stated that unless the issue is addressed through tree planting, this phenomenon will cause more havoc to people's lives and further strain healthcare services.
Speaking during a graduation ceremony for 73 Emergency Medical Technicians for St John's Ambulance at the Kenya Prisons Staff Training College Ruiru, Kiambu County, the PS mentioned that, apart from the increase in respiratory illnesses, there is a likelihood of a resurgence in other infectious diseases such as malaria and cholera.
She also noted that the best course of action is for Kenyans to follow President William Ruto's call to plant trees.
"Climate change contributes to a larger percentage of our respiratory diseases, it's high time we took it seriously. Besides this, we are bound to have malnutrition because of a lack of proper diet. If we want to sort out respiratory diseases, get rid of malaria and other vector-borne diseases and malnutrition, we must deal with climate change," the PS said.
Muthoni guaranteed that individuals would continue to receive medical services even in the event that they exhaust their NHIF card funds.
"Should you deplete your card and you are still unwell, then we will plough into the Chronic Illness Fund. Everyone deserves to be treated," she asserted.
She also noted that the funds allocated for the improvement of health facilities will not be redirected for any other purposes.
The cohort of paramedics went through training meant to enable them to support the National and County Governments’ emergency medical care across the country.
In a speech read by the PS earlier, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha said the training is currently conducted under the partnership program between the institution and Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC).
"This is one of the partnerships we look forward to in meeting the increasing demands for Human Resources for Health in the country to achieve the recently launched Universal Health Coverage and the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda," Nakhumicha said.
