Around the world, women are sacrificing their health to shield families from spiking costs

NAIROBI – When the ache began in Agnes Wachira’s chest virtually six months in the past, the Kenyan mother-of-three dismissed it as a symptom of the day by day grind of working lengthy hours hand-washing garments within the slim lanes of Nairobi’s Kawangware casual settlement. Over the months, the ache has developed right into a persistent tightness throughout her chest, usually leaving her breathless.

But with Kenya’s inflation operating at a five-year-high of 8.5%, the 48-year-old single mom says she can not afford to hunt medical assist.