Kenya

Dr Alex Awiti, Vice Provost at the Aga Khan University, writes that scientists are just starting to unpack the complex, interconnected web of climate, hydrological and social factors that contribute to climate change related catastrophe. The world’s major polluters remain only partly persuaded that the planet is on the course of irreversible peril. He says that somehow it has been assumed that wealthy nations are insulated from the impacts of climate change and the world needs concrete actions on decarbonising the global economy. The planet must be put on a path to aggressive and ambitious 2030 carbon emission reduction targets, and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Dr Awiti warns that time is of the essence.

Lilian Nuwabaine Luyima is a trained nurse, midwife and women’s health specialist and continuous professional development coordinator at the Aga Khan University in Kenya. She writes that available health evidence indicates that pregnant women are more likely to suffer severe forms of Covid-19 if they contract the virus. It is also medically known that some medications like vaccines may not be recommended among this group of people. She says that nurses and midwives have been the champions of all vaccination campaigns in Uganda and have won the public trust on that. Therefore, the information they disseminate to the public plays a big role. Luyima goes on to say that there is a need for urgent intervention by the Ministry of Health to clarify and guide the vaccination teams and the general public on the facts and myths of the Covid-19 vaccine. 

Azim Lakhani, Diplomatic representative of AKDN in Kenya, writes that the Aga Khan University (AKU) is the only private international institution in Kenya that trains doctors and nurses in post-graduate specialties. Late last year, AKU established a Clinical Research Unit, under its Cancer Centre, to conduct clinical trials specifically for African populations, and to enhance Africa’s involvement in cancer research. This means locally relevant treatments will be available for cancer patients. AKU’s Brain and Mind Institute, which is being pioneered in Kenya, is another initiative that has been created in response to the urgent need to address mental health and wellbeing issues. It is aimed at building capacity in the domains of mental health and neurosciences and will be a hub for scholarship, exchange and action in these issues, and will also introduce educational, clinical and community-based programmes.

Dr Juzar Hooker, a consulting neurologist at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, says Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60-70 percent of all dementia cases worldwide.  Its symptoms include forgetfulness, getting lost even in familiar surroundings, financial and judgement errors, behavioural and personality change, difficulties looking for words and with language, and challenges with navigating visual information and space. “In Alzheimer’s disease, for reasons that are not entirely clear, affects certain proteins in the brain cells. These cells then slowly die off and their connections disappear, resulting in brain dysfunction and dementia. Chemicals that help brain cells talk to each other are thereby reduced in the brain,” Dr Hooker explains. Dr Hooker emphasises the importance of routine and physical exercise as well as a social and mental activity regime as they are very useful adjuncts in the day to day management of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease.