COVID drops from global top 10 as respiratory diseases remain a threat to Kenya -WHO

COVID-19 is no longer among the world's top 10 leading causes of death, but the respiratory health challenge persists in Kenya and the wider East African region. According to new World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, COVID-19 caused approximately 900,000 deaths globally in 2023, dropping to the 14th leading cause of death worldwide, a significant decline from its peak position as the world's leading cause of death in 2021 and third in 2020.

Meanwhile, lower respiratory infections have reasserted themselves as the world's leading communicable cause of death, responsible for about 2.7 million deaths in 2023, returning to levels similar to those before the pandemic began. For Kenya, this change is particularly significant, as the country already faced respiratory infections as one of its major causes of death prior to the pandemic.

WHO data indicate that lower respiratory infections were the third leading cause of death in Kenya in 2021, with an estimated 37.6 deaths per 100,000 people, while COVID-19 ranked fourth, causing 32 deaths per 100,000. These figures, while not reflecting a 2023 ranking, underscore the ongoing respiratory health challenges. WHO's latest mortality estimates for Kenya are based on post-2021 data due to quality issues in death registration, making the figures estimates that should be interpreted with caution.

Nonetheless, the data highlight that most respiratory deaths are caused by lower respiratory infections, primarily pneumonia. Additionally, pneumonia and tuberculosis are identified as major diseases affecting lung health, alongside chronic conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The respiratory health burden extends beyond Kenya, with WHO's 2021 estimates for Uganda and Rwanda placing lower respiratory infections among the top three causes of death.

East African health systems continue to grapple with infectious diseases while also confronting a rising burden of noncommunicable diseases, complicating the post-pandemic health landscape. The data emphasize that while COVID-19 has moved down the global mortality rankings, respiratory diseases remain a significant threat. For Kenya and its neighbours, the post-COVID-19 era presents the challenge of managing multiple health threats, including pneumonia, tuberculosis, asthma, COPD, and lung cancer, alongside heart disease and diabetes, while simultaneously building robust data systems to identify and address the most pressing risks.