A heart attack is one of the most serious manifestations of coronary artery disease, and can result in serious health complications and death. In Kenya, it is estimated that 50% of patients who suffer a heart attack die before reaching a hospital. Heart attack care in underserved communities faces major challenges that include lack of adequate interventions, lack of early detection, and poor treatment methods, including misdiagnosis and ineffective referral processes. These challenges are more visible where socioeconomic barriers and inequalities in accessing treatment are more common.
The partnership between the Heart Attack Concern Kenya (HACK) and the Philips Foundation tries to address the root causes of ineffective heart attack care by improving the recognition of symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, with the aim of enhancing good outcomes among patient who suffer a heart attack in the community.