Rural areas are the worst hit when it comes to family planning.
Kenyan population increases annually by 1.5 per cent.
However, lack of contraceptives leads to unintended pregnancies and maternal and neonatal deaths due to unsafe abortion and ill health.
Cultural, religious beliefs and misconceptions on the side effects of contraceptives, affordability and availability of contraceptives determine health-seeking behaviours towards family planning.
Marginalisation on resource allocation also hinders family planning.
Women, especially young girls must have access to reproductive health care, including the full range of contraceptive choices, to fulfil their rights.
According to the World Health Organization, these will prevent 54 million unintended pregnancies, 26 million abortions in which 16 million would be unsafe 7 million miscarriages in developing countries.
In Kenya, data shows that 342 women die per 100,000 live births according to Guttmacher Institute.
Adolescent girls in particular are at a higher risk of death as a result of pregnancy.
Improving adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health and rights, including preventing unintended pregnancy, is essential to their social and economic well-being.
Best practices will include community education on sizeable families and financial empowerment to address poverty and job creation.
The current approach by counties to improve family planning is to strengthen fragile health systems.
Many are not reached by contraceptives because the health systems are weak.
Greater financial commitment is desperately required at every step of the supply chain to get contraceptives to those who want them.
Access to information on family-planning options is important. But that information needs to be delivered in a way that’s reliable, judgment-free, and easily accessible.
Various women and especially young girls who may not want to have a one on one conversation can access information through various social media platforms and can also access contraceptives through deliveries after consulting with a certified healthcare provider.
This helps shy teenagers access contraceptives in a manner that does not compromise their privacy and therefore increases access to contraceptives.
Sexual reproductive health advocate at the Network for Adolescent and Youth of Africa
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
