Health Dilemma

Health is often viewed in the context of physical well-being or healthcare, but its scope is much broader. According to the 1946 Constitution of the World Health Organization, health encompasses “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being” and not merely the absence of illness. Achieving better health requires addressing all these dimensions equally, with a balanced focus on both prevention and treatment.

Good health is essential not only for individuals but also for a nation’s progress. A country’s economy cannot thrive if its citizens are unwell. Thus, alongside education, health should be a priority for any government. Numerous diseases and infections demand urgent attention, and efforts to improve global health must tackle both communicable and non-communicable diseases. However, there is often a disproportionate emphasis on infectious diseases, deficiency disorders, hereditary conditions, and physiological diseases, even though non-communicable diseases account for 75% of deaths globally, according to the World Health Organization.

Health equity means ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to live a healthy life, supported by favorable social, physical, psychological and environmental conditions. For instance, in Kenya, citizens are currently suffering due to a disorganized healthcare system. This system fails to provide adequate services for people with non-communicable diseases, leading to preventable suffering and loss of life.

A nation must prioritize health because, as has been aptly said, “Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have.”

By Sharon Odhiambo