Kenyans procrastinate chronically when it comes to medical tests

vy Wairimu,student. ON 03/10/14 PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE

TEXT By SYLVIA WAKHISI I opt not to go for these health tests because of what I would describe as fear of the unknown. I only undergo a medical test in case I happen to fall sick and the doctor prescribes a particular test because then I have no option. Am afraid of the outcome. You might think you are healthy yet you are not. But I would encourage people, including myself, to go for these tests because I feel they are important.

Nairobi; Kenya: When was the last time you visited a doctor or had a health checkup for the sake of it? Are you the kind of person that waits until you are completely frail before rushing to the hospital for medication?

Well, those simple routine health checks you ignore could save your life in a big way.

While many would rather be in the dark and deal with a problem only once it knocks, others find it difficult to reserve time from their busy schedules for a date with their doctor. Well, if you fall under this category, you have all the reasons to worry.

Charles Wambulwa, an ICT specialist appreciates the value of going for routine HIV testing. However, when it comes to other ailments such as diabetes and high blood pressure, he does not test because it is not part of his "culture".

"I go for HIV testing periodically and whenever I come across those services because I know I have nothing to fear," says Wambulwa. "However, when it comes to other ailments I don't test because it is not in my ancestral blood line."

"What I know is that there are more ways of being infected with HIV than through sexual intercourse with an infected person. Sometimes I go with my wife who, just like me, has nothing to fear. Once the results are out, we swap. She will look at my results and I will in turn look at hers or we view them one at a time and this has helped us to maintain trust in our marriage. It's a litmus test for the other partner's fidelity," he explains.

Sylvia Bihembo, a graphic designer, on the other hand calls herself a huge procrastinator when it comes to going for medical tests.

"It's never easy going to hospital for medical check-ups unless you feel sick. At times, I will wait till my condition worsens and that's when I set foot in a hospital," she says.

"This is largely due to fear of the unknown and the hospital set up itself. There is the notion that doctors will always find something wrong with you so that you can spend money on medication."

When it comes to tests like breast cancer screening and HIV, she says it is easier to check for cancer.

"One is advised on how to do self-breast examinations. HIV is however, scary and I would rather not know because of the stigma. It's a tag that you have been careless. It's easier to live with one breast than live with HIV," she adds.

She, on the other hand, says she is not afraid of taking care of a relative or friend living with HIV.

"I have done it several times. In one case, I didn't know at first that she had HIV and by the time I knew she was sick I had gotten used to having her around and didn't treat her differently. We need to accord them love and support and not discriminate against them."

Tests are expensive

Periodic medical examinations are often taken for granted, especially in developing countries where people avoid visiting a health professional as long as possible and do so only when they suffer from some illness.

However, the truth is that regular check-ups can help to identify the risk factors for common as well as rare diseases, both acute and chronic. But as much as one may wish to go for them on a regular basis, there are many factors that tend to discourage this and topmost is that these tests are costly.

Dr Kizito Lubano, a disease control expert, admits that a stitch in time saves nine, but the orientation and change to motivate and encourage individuals to go for health tests, even when they are not sick, has to start right from the individual level, to the household level and then to the societal level.

"People perceive the health system as a giver of bad news. Many tend to feel that when they go for a routine checkup, their lives will even become worse, because of the bad news they may receive," says Lubano.

"From there, their condition may even start to worsen because they become stressed. They think of how they may have contracted such a disease and wonder why they are suffering and not anyone else. They ask themselves what would happen to their children and property if they died. That is why some would rather buy over-the-counter-drugs at the chemist," he adds.

The medic admits that going for routine health check-ups is not as simple as it may sound.

"That fear of the unknown is very genuine. You don't want to discover something that could completely change your life. It is very terrifying. Every individual assumes that their bodies are functioning well and once they are told otherwise, it is not easy for them to accept, which is the reason why many would rather not go for the tests."

Mercy Mugure, 23, a student at a local university says she has made it a habit of going for regular check-ups because she understands their importance.

"My dad seemed to be as fit as a fiddle. At least that is what we knew, until the doctor broke the sad news two years ago that he had diabetes. I remember there was a time he used to experience periods of weakness but he would brush it off thinking it was due to exhaustion," says Mugure.

The experience with her dad, she says, was an eye opener.

routine CHECK-UPS

"I do go for check-ups. Whenever I hear that there is a free medical camp somewhere in my vicinity, I am not afraid of making that step because I know it will notonly save my life but I can get good information on how to lead an active lifestyle and avoid developing certain diseases," she says.

Fredrick Ouko, a social entrepreneur goes for a complete health scan every two years.

"I only go for specific tests when there is a medical issue that needs to be looked into. I also don't like these check-ups that are offered free of charge. I don't trust them. That's just me. I prefer going to the doctor and telling him what I would like to be examined," says Ouko.

Lubano further points out that many people cannot afford going to a hospital just for a routine medical check-up.

"How many people can access and utilise these health services? Think of the woman in Pokot or Turkana who is languishing in poverty and has to trek several kilometres to reach a health centre. It will be hard to convince her to go for a simple test," he says.

There is also the need to look into issues affecting the healthcare system to enable more people to be motivated to go for routine medical tests.

"When it comes to diseases such as cancer, unfortunately, we lack proper systems for rapid response and that is why many people are forced to seek treatment abroad. That explains the backlog as medics have a hard time treating the high number of cancer patients due to lack of equipment," he explains.

Lubano cautions that every individual needs to be cautious about their health every single day.

"People should not just wait for the month of October to have cancer screening. There is need to note that most of these diseases are lifestyle diseases and we need to be cautious about what we eat and be physically active," says the medic.