Kenyans have been urged to take heart health seriously, with cardiothoracic surgeons warning that unhealthy lifestyles and delayed treatment can turn preventable heart problems into conditions requiring complex surgery.
Cardiothoracic fellow Dr Jean Bosco Gusa said regular exercise, a healthy diet, and avoiding smoking and alcohol were among the key measures Kenyans could take to protect their hearts.
Speaking during World Heart Day celebrations at the AGC Tenwek Cardiothoracic Centre, Dr Gusa warned that heart disease does not discriminate by age, with some patients born with defects while others develop heart conditions later in life.
“Keep your heart healthy. If you have a healthy heart today, protect it through a healthy diet and by staying active — exercise and movement,” Dr Gusa said. “Abstain from smoking and alcohol. That is how you can keep your heart healthy.”
He said heart disease was not selective and could affect even young people. “Heart disease is not selective. It can affect very young people. Some are born with heart problems, while others develop them later in life,” he said.
Dr Gusa said rheumatic heart disease remained among the major heart conditions treated in Kenya and could cause permanent damage to the heart valves.
“Rheumatic heart disease attacks the valves of the heart,” he said.
Rheumatic heart disease can develop following rheumatic fever, an inflammatory reaction that may occur after a Group A Streptococcus infection, commonly associated with a sore throat.
The resulting inflammation can permanently damage the heart valves and, in severe cases, leave patients requiring valve replacement.
“In most cases, those damaged valves need to be removed and replaced with an artificial valve — either a mechanical valve or a bioprosthetic (tissue) valve,” Dr Gusa said.
“It is not easy to treat the heart once it becomes diseased, but it is possible.”
He urged healthy Kenyans to maintain lifestyles that reduce their risk of developing heart disease, saying prevention was better than dealing with advanced disease.
His warning was underscored by the experience of Jeremy Bahati, a Nairobi boy who spent five years battling recurring illnesses before his family discovered that he had a hole in his heart.
Jeremy’s mother, Beatrice Achieng, said her son had suffered persistent fever, excessive sweating, fatigue and chest congestion.
“We only discovered it was a heart problem after five years. If we had known earlier when he was still small, we would have treated him then. But we didn’t know,” Achieng said.
The family eventually sought treatment at the AGC Tenwek Cardiothoracic Centre, where Jeremy underwent successful surgery to close the hole in his heart.
They first visited the centre at the end of August and returned for further assessments in early September. Jeremy was admitted on September 21 and underwent surgery on September 23. Achieng said his recovery was faster than the family had anticipated.
Most of Jeremy’s treatment was covered by the Social Health Authority (SHA), easing the financial burden on the family.
After years of uncertainty, the successful operation has given the family renewed hope.
“I had given up. I said whatever will be, will be. But God stood with us. With this child I have seen God,” she said.
Another heart surgery survivor, Jared Kola, is now using his experience to encourage other patients and their families not to lose hope.
Kola was named Community Health Champion of the Year 2026 during the World Heart Day celebrations. “My healing went well and I got encouraged that indeed when life is healed, a lot can be achieved,” he said.
His experience with heart disease inspired him to pursue medicine. He is studying trauma medicine at Sigowet KMTC in Kericho County and hopes to use his training and personal experience to promote awareness and access to treatment.
“If your son or daughter is going through this, it is not the end of the journey, but this can be corrected,” he said.
Kola credited the medical team, his community, church and chaplaincy services for supporting him through his recovery.
He said the expansion of specialised cardiac services in Kenya was giving patients more options to access treatment locally.
However, he called for increased funding and better reimbursement for heart procedures to ensure more patients can receive timely treatment.
