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New report shows pneumonia still the leading cause of death in Kenya

Over the past five years, from 2019 to 2023, pneumonia has emerged as the leading cause of death while cancer is on an upward trend moving to number two killer disease in 2023. It was also the leading cause of death in age group 5-14 years from 2021 to 2023, the Kenya Vital Statistics Report 2023 shows.

During the period under review, pneumonia was the leading cause of death in 27 counties followed by cancer in six counties, sepsis in four counties and cardiovascular diseases in four counties. This was followed by anemia in three counties, prematurity and asphyxia in two counties and Injuries in one county.

The report, developed by the Civil Registration Service  in collaboration with other government agencies and partners, also shows that with regard to leading causes of medically certified registered deaths by sex, pneumonia is the leading cause of death for both sexes for 2019, 2021 and 2023.

In addition, cancer has remained among the leading causes of death for both sexes from 2019 to 2023. While injuries is among the 10 leading causes of death for males, it is not among the 10 leading causes of death for females. HIV/AIDS is among the top leading causes of death for females, but not among males.

Cancer was the leading cause of deaths among Kenyan nationals who died abroad in 2023. Together with pneumonia, injuries, respiratory infections, and road traffic accidents, the  top five causes of death accounted for more than a quarter of the all deaths.

“Out of 13 deaths occurring from road traffic accidents, 12 were among males. This pattern is also
reflected in injuries, respiratory infections and hypertension where more male deaths were registered. However, more cancer deaths were registered among females than in males,” the report shows.

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Sudden death at 17.2 percent was the leading cause of registered deaths from the community in 2023 followed by pneumonia 15 percent and cancer 10.2 percent among both males and females, accounting for over 40 percent.

Prematurity birth asphyxia and respiratory infections remain the leading cause of registered deaths among neonates during the reporting period. However, in 2023 neonatal sepsis was in the second position.

Among neonatals, the leading causes of death among neonates was pneumonia at 45.2 percent, sudden
death at 20.1 percent and malaria at 11.7 percent.

The report also shows that most neonatal deaths occur during the first week of life. Children who die within
the first 28 days of birth suffer from conditions and diseases associated with a lack of quality care at or
immediately after birth and in the first days of life.

For children under one year, pneumonia (43.9%) was the leading cause of deaths registered from the community followed by malaria (17.5%), and sudden death (15.7%).

Prematurity and birth asphyxia, pneumonia and respiratory infections were the top leading causes of registered deaths among children under five years for the period under review apart from sepsis which was the third leading cause of death in 2023.

Injuries, cancer, pneumonia, cardiovascular diseases and sepsis were the leading causes of registered deaths among persons aged between 15 and 49 years in 2023, according to the report.

“Age 15-49 years is the most productive age group in the human cycle. Analysing the causes of death
in this age group is therefore critical for specific interventions so as to improve their health, thereby
reducing premature mortality,” it says.

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The report adds that men in this age group are more exposed to injuries and accidents due to the nature of their occupations hence more likely to die as a result of complications associated with such incidents.

Motor vehicle accident.

On the other hand, this being the childbearing age, women are more likely to die as a result of maternal and reproductive health-related complications.

Among persons aged between 50 and 59 years, the report shows that the top 10 causes of medically certified registered deaths in this age group are due to noncommunicable causes: cancer, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and kidney failure.

Cancer was the leading cause of death in 2019 and 2023, while it was second in 2020 and 2022 and the third in 2021. Pneumonia has for the last four years maintained the top three position within the same age group for the period under review.

Cancer, pneumonia and cardiopulmonary and cardiorespiratory arrest remained among the leading causes of death among both females and males. Hypertension is prominent among females while injuries feature among the top 10 causes in 2022 and 2023 for males.

For people aged 60 years and above, cancer, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases take prominence interchangeably as the leading cause of death for this age group during the reference period. Communicable
diseases, pneumonia, tuberculosis, respiratory infections also feature among the top ten causes of death within this age group.

“This age group is prone to non-communicable diseases and there is need to strengthen the health system to cater for their health needs,” the report recommends.

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With regard to deaths registered in the community (data collected by assistant chiefs), thee leading causes of death for under 1 year was pneumonia (43.9%), malaria (17.5%), and sudden death (15.7%).

The report also shows that pneumonia (37.9%), malaria (20.6%) and sudden death (14.8%) are the top leading causes of death among under five years in the community and accounts for more than 70% of registered deaths.

A doctor examines an X-ray to diagnose whether a patient is suffering from pneumonia.

Among age 5-14 years, malaria (19,7%), pneumonia (17.1%) and sudden death (14.0%) accounted for more than 50% of registered deaths in this age group. Additionally, asthma was among top 10 leading cause in males and not among females while tuberculosis was among the top leading causes of death among females and not among males.

Sudden death (16.3%), pneumonia (10.5%) malaria (8.0%) cancer (7.7%) accounts for more than 40%
of all deaths registered in the community among age 15 to 49 years . Suicide, road traffic accidents and alcoholism are among the top 10 causes of death among males but not among the females in this age category. On the other hand, HIV/AIDS, hypertension and asthma are among the top 10 causes of death among females, but not among males in this age group.

Among those aged between 50 and 59 years, sudden death (17.6%), cancer (15.6%) and pneumonia (11.2%) accounts for more than 40% of the total deaths.

For those aged 60 years and above, sudden death (18.1%), pneumonia (14.0%) and cancer (12.9%), account for 45% of all the deaths registered in the community for both sexes.

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