OPINION: Tackling Kenya’s NCD burden through community-based healthcare models

There is growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Kenya's public health landscape. NCDs account for 27% of all deaths in Kenya, nearly 100,000 annually as reported by a 2017 study published in the Journal of Global Health on Research for Actionable Policies. 

These diseases are not confined to urban centers. They increasingly affect low-income and rural communities where access to early diagnosis, treatment, and consistent follow-up care can be particularly challenging. According to a study in BMC Health Services Research, approximately 1.8 million Kenyan adults were living with diabetes in 2019, with projections suggesting a rise to 2.2 million by 2030. Meanwhile, a WHO-supported national survey found that 28.6% of Kenyan adults aged 18–69 years live with hypertension.

The government has taken important steps, such as the Kenya National Strategy for Prevention and Control of NCDs 2021–2026, which provides a clear policy direction however implementation has faced challenges due to weak enforcement, inadequate resources, and limited coordination between national and county governments. Devolution has sometimes created administrative and budgetary conflicts, hindering uniform delivery of NCD services across counties.

Still, there is cause for optimism. Collaboration between the public and private sectors can drive change where traditional methods have struggled. The Nairobi County has established a multi-sectoral NCD Technical Working Group that brings together health, trade, agriculture, transportation, social services, civil society, and individuals with lived experience emphasizing the value of systemic collaboration.

Boehringer Ingelheim believes no one should have to wait for the healthcare they require because they are too far away, too poor, or too late. 

Motivated by this, it launched our Access to Healthcare (ATH) program in 2022 in collaboration with mPharma. 

Designed as a mobile, community-based model, ATH reaches underserved areas through regular pop-up clinics that offer free screening and early diagnosis for type 2 diabetes and hypertension. 

Once diagnosed, patients are referred to partner healthcare facilities where they receive subsidized treatment options, tiered pricing, and ongoing nurse-led coaching for at least 12 months. 

This patient-centered approach not only improves access to care but also builds trust, health literacy, and continuity of treatment at the grassroots level. Through strategic site selection and localized outreach, ATH has already screened thousands of individuals across remote counties and connected them to life-saving interventions.

We recognize that seven in ten Kenyans live in rural areas and that infrastructure challenges are real. But through cross-sector partnerships, innovation, and trust in local systems, solutions can be found. Programs like Access to healthcare complement national efforts by filling gaps and enhancing early detection in high-need regions.

Collaboration between the public and private sectors can drive change. The Access to Healthcare program shows what can happen when scientific progress and collaboration come together in the real world. 

At the same time, systemic problems show how important it is to have other efforts, such as digital platforms, stronger supply chains, and working together across sectors.

If we work together with healthcare professionals, policymakers, community leaders, civil society, and other partners who share our goals, we can move closer to a future where quality care is available in every part of Kenya. No one should be too far, too poor, or too late when it comes to health.

The writer, George Kuria, is the Product Manager – Sub-Saharan Africa, Boehringer Ingelheim