The Ministry of Health has called on those with respiratory infections to continue observing the basic measures of hand washing, observing social distancing and wearing masks.
Acting Health DG Patrick Amoth on Tuesday said observing such measures, especially at household level will help prevent children below the age of five years from acquiring respiratory infections.
Amoth observed that ailments such as pneumonia, respiratory tract infections and diarrheal diseases drastically reduced through hand washing and use of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He was speaking during a World Pneumonia Day media breakfast meeting in Nairobi.
“During Covid when we put in place non-medical measures to be able to deal with the problem, illnesses like pneumonia, respiratory tract infections and diarrheal diseases drastically reduced through hand washing and use of masks,” Amoth said.
“And therefore it is important that then we continue to employ these interventions, especially in our households where we have somebody with a respiratory tract illness so that they can be able to protect themselves."
The ministry lifted the mandatory wearing of masks as Covid cases declined and more people took their vaccines against the virus.
Despite that, evidence has shown that the measures which were put in place such as handwashing and wearing of masks had a positive impact on the disease burden in the country.
Amoth now says hygiene and sanitation are some of the low-cost but very effective interventions in fighting respiratory tract diseases, especially for those with symptoms of such ailments to protect others.
"We call upon households, if there is somebody with a cough or a respiratory disease to keep that distance and still use that mask then that will be a preventive measure towards acquisition of respiratory tract infections."
Data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) 2022 shows diseases affecting the respiratory system are the top ailments affecting Kenyans.
According to the data, 20,613,455 cases of respiratory diseases had been reported as of December 2021, accounting for 21.9 per cent disease burden in the country.
Respiratory diseases may be caused by air pollution, infections, tobacco smoking, or breathing secondary tobacco smoke.
