Garissa County health department has embarked on a lifestyle disease awareness campaign.
The campaign is aimed at sensitizing the public on killer diseases which are triggered by lifestyle choices.
Records at the County’s Referral facility shows a steady increase on the patients diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
The County Executive for Health, Hon. Ahmednadhir Sheikh called on residents to embrace lifestyle changes through body exercises.
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Hon. Sheikh added that routine checkups will reduce the chances of contracting diseases.
The healthy boss was speaking when he led the County Health Department and its partners in an indoor football match in Garissa as part of events to mark the World Diabetes Week.
A hundred people were sensitized on the occasion which witnessed a flurry of activities, including screening for blood pressure and tests for cholesterol and BMI among others.
Elsewhere, a three-day youth sensitization meeting on the dangers of Female Genital Mutilation FGM and early marriage was held in Narok County.
The meeting comes amid fears of an increase in the practice during the December school holidays.
Around the world, about 140million girls are living with the consequences of FGM, though it has been banned in Kenya, it still rampant in some communities.
Narok county commissioner Samuel Ole Kimiti challenged the youth to work with authorities to end the practice that is robbing girls.
While addressing the youth at the meeting, Mr Kimiti warned those carrying out FGM and marrying off young girls they risk being prosecuted and jailed.
Mr kimiti farther urged village elders and chiefs to be in the forefront in the fight against female genital mutilation saying the era of FGM was over and no one should attempt to justify it in the name of culture.
Sarah Tunai also called on stakeholders to join in the war against FGM and ensure the government’s vision of ending the practice is achieved by 2022.
She urged the Maa community move forward like other communities in abandoning practices that were detrimental to the well being and health of women and girls.
