Kenya / Republic of Kenya
- Cross-Cultural Nursing Database

Language

Swahili, English (Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kenya)

nation

Kikuyu 22%, Ruhiya 14%, Kalenjin 12%, Luo 13% people, etc. Others are Maasai, Samburu, Turkana, Somali, etc. There are also a few British for farm management and a few Indians who came in the 19th century to set up the railroad. (Wikipedia Kenya)

religion

381 TP3T for Protestants, 281 TP3T for Roman Catholics, 61 TP3T for Muslims, 221 TP3T for traditional religions, and 61 TP3T for others (Wikipedia Kenya)

Food culture taboos, etc.

• Kenyan meals reflect the diversity of Kenyan culture.
• Eating out is not common in Kenya.
• Meanwhile, on the coast, long-standing ties with the Indian Ocean led to the establishment of a unique menu influenced by Indian cuisine.
• The traditional Kenyan diet is characterized by simplicity and high starch content.
• It can be described as a meal to fill the stomach. Ugali (white corn cakes) is a typical Kenyan staple food. Other staple foods include potatoes and rice. These staples are served with chicken, beef, goat meat, vegetable stew, spinach, beans, and fish.
• Nyamachoma (charcoal roasted mutton, goat, or beef) is a typical Kenyan menu item.
• The food on the coast is diverse. Seafood (sea perch, snapper, snapper, sunfish, giant lobster, shrimp, crab, oysters, and swordfish) is prepared with lime, coconut, pepper and a variety of exotic spices.
• Fresh fruits, especially mangoes, pineapples, papayas, and citrus fruits, are grown in large numbers in Kenya's coastal region, which is ideal for the climate.
• Kenyan food is strongly influenced by India. Many Indian laborers came to Kenya in the 19th century when the Mombasa/Kisumu railroad was built, giving the coastline an international flavor.
• Kenya's major cities offer a wide variety of restaurants, including Chinese, Italian, French, Japanese, and Thai.

(in Japanese history)Embassy of Kenya in Japan)

Other customs and culture

There are two cultural and two natural heritage sites in Kenya that are on UNESCO's World Heritage List. (Wikipedia Kenya)
There are many different types of music in Kenya. Most ethnic groups have their own musical culture. Today, young artistic talents are coming to an end, and modern hip-hop, R&B, rap, reggae, and more are mixing with Kenyan melodies, poetry, and rhythms to create a new kind of music. (more...)Embassy of Kenya in Japan)

Customs, habits, health, etc.

1. notes on manners, customs, and national character

Kenyans are generally known for their cheerful national character. They are also generally considered to be male-dominated and men are proud, while elders and the elderly are respected. Furthermore, Kenyans are connected by the spirit of mutual support (harambee), which essentially means that if someone is in need, they take care of him or her, and the wealthy take care of the poor.

2. sanitary conditions, diseases

1. Yellow fever vaccination was changed from mandatory to recommended in 2002, but travelers entering Kenya via a yellow fever risk country are required to present a yellow card (proof of yellow fever vaccination). In addition, passengers entering Kenya via connecting flights in yellow fever risk countries may also be required to present a yellow card.
2. Malaria is endemic in Kenya, with the exception of the capital city of Nairobi, and visitors outside of Nairobi should take prophylactic medication and carry insect repellent spray.
3. The capital city of Nairobi is at an altitude of 1,700 meters above sea level, so people with circulatory problems in particular should consult their doctors thoroughly before traveling to the country. In addition, visitors should be aware that they may experience symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue, and other so-called altitude sickness.
4. Typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera, and parasitic diseases also require attention.
5. Because of the large number of HIV-infected people, it is essential to refrain from rash behavior.
6. Raw water and raw food should be avoided.

3. medical conditions

Although there are some reliable hospitals in large cities, if you are seriously injured, it is recommended that you be transported to a more developed country such as Europe.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Overseas Safety Web Site)

Customs related to pregnancy and childbirth

In some tribes, stillborn babies are put out of the window and then further inside the house again. It is said that by doing so, new life is breathed back into the baby and it is said that it will be born again soon.
(Care The World Overseas Childbirth & Child-Raising Information Net, World Childbirth)

Customs related to end-of-life and funerals

• When a local person dies, the tribespeople help each other prepare the funeral under the leadership of their respective chiefs, but the person must be promptly buried in a designated cemetery for the tropics.
• People living in rural areas have little concept of the future and view death as the practical end of life, a natural order that they have no choice but to accept.
• In urban areas, many immigrants from India are cremated in the open air when they die.

(Funerals in the World: Shoto Hiromichi, Shincho-Sensho, 1991)

Medical taboos, etc.

Maasai women in Kenya normally eat enough food to nurture their unborn children, but during pregnancy they mainly eat watered-down porridge to keep the size of the fetus as small as possible. The result is a small, weak, and sickly child. The Maasai's regular diet is rich in protein, but these foods are taboo during pregnancy.
("The Culture and Truth of Breastfeeding" by Naomi Pommeslag, Dia L. Mitchells, published by Medica Publishing in 2003)

education

The educational system consists mainly of eight years of primary education and four years of secondary education. Higher education includes universities such as the University of Nairobi, vocational and technical schools, and primary teacher training schools. The elementary school enrollment rate in Kenya is high at 941 TP3T, and 921 TP3T are female students. Although compulsory education and free tuition are the prerequisites, children from poor families often drop out in the upper grades of primary education due to the cost of teaching materials and other expenses, and the enrollment rate drops to 67% in the 5th grade. Girls, in particular, have a high dropout rate, as they are the workers in the household. However, they do not simply drop out; they often return to school as they get older and are able to pay school fees. The gender gap is not large in urban areas, and a study in a slum area of Nairobi showed that the school attendance rate for children in their early teens was 651 TP3T for males and 751 TP3T for females, rather than the other way around. Those going on to secondary education were 23%. Again, girls often drop out due to pregnancy or other reasons in their teens. The average literacy rate for those aged 15 and above is 691 TP3T, but there is a large gender gap: 79.81 TP3T for males and 58.51 TP3T for females. ("Public Health Systems of the World," 1999) Japan Public Health Association)

National Health and Medical

• In line with the "Strategy for Rural Development with a Focus on Groups" issued in 1983, the core level of health care program implementation should be the group.
• There is a National Hospital Health Fund System, which those working in the formal sector (221 TP3T of the total population) are required to join.
• Services related to the poor, maternal and child health, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, and AIDS are systematically free, but drugs and other services are not prescribed completely free of charge, and patients are often forced to purchase them at private pharmacies.
• There are 3714 health care facilities nationwide (1995), including 268 hospitals with 136 beds per 100,000 population. 299 health centers and 1564 health sub-centers and clinics (1990).

("Public Health Systems of the World," 1999, Japan Public Health Association)

cause of death

The leading causes of death among adults include chronic diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis, and hypertension, as well as traffic accidents.
("Public Health Systems of the World," 1999, Japan Public Health Association)

Childbirth

• Infant mortality rate is 1000 births vs. 61 (1995)
• The maternal mortality rate is 170 per 100,000 live births, although some data indicate a rate of 650, which is not constant. Of all maternal deaths, 25% are adolescent girls, 34% are women over 35 years of age, 28% are first births, and 23% are women with four or more pregnancies. The main causes of death are hemorrhage, sepsis, dystocia, hypertension, etc. Many factors contribute to these deaths, including high fertility, short birth intervals, long gestational age, inadequate care during pregnancy and childbirth, overwork and under-enrollment of women.

("Public Health Systems of the World," 1999, Japan Public Health Association)

immunization

BCG, polio, DPT, MMR, and Hib immunizations are administered.
(Immunization for children Kenya)

BCG: 92
DTP1: 95
DTP3: 88
Hepatitis B: 88
Hib: 88
Measles: 87
Tetanus: 73
Polio: 88
(2011) (WHO)

medical facilities

• Providers of health care services in Kenya can be divided into government and municipal, non-profit private organization, private, and traditional health care.
• Government-affiliated facilities account for 701 TP3T of the total number of cases, while non-profit organizations account for 201 TP3T. Private systems are mostly found in urban areas and are often used for minor illnesses, but the level of medical care varies widely.
• The population with access to medical facilities within an 8-km radius accounts for 751 TP3T of the total population. However, there are large regional disparities, with 921 TP3T in the Central Province versus 441 TP3T in the Eastern Province. Due to the scarcity of transportation and poor quality of services, the utilization rate is not high, and the general public often visits traditional healers or purchases medicines at the market for home treatment when they are ill.

("Public Health Systems of the World," 1999, Japan Public Health Association)

Medical Occupations

• 3357 physicians (1990). The population per physician is 10100.
• Clinical officers act on behalf of physicians in the clinical setting. In rural areas, they are the center of daily medical care.
• Other professionals engaged include pharmacists, clinical laboratory technicians, clinical radiologists, and physical therapists.
  ("Public Health Systems of the World," 1999, Japan Public Health Association)
• There are 8,000 and 22,000 nurses, divided into registered nurses and semi-registered nurses, respectively. In terms of gender, male nurses account for one-third of the total. (2000)
  (Transition of Nursing Education System in the Republic of Kenya. and Current Situation, Bulletin of the Japanese Red Cross College of Nursing, No18, pp63~70, 2004))
  ("Public Health Systems of the World," 1999, Japan Public Health Association)

total fertility rate

4.7 (2010) (WHO)

Infant mortality rate (thousands of births vs.)

55 (2010) (WHO)

life expectancy

Male: 58 (2009) (WHO)
Female: 62 (2009) (WHO)