Contraceptive use in West Pokot rises by 17 per cent
Kenya's family planning investment has been hailed a leader in sub-Saharan Africa.
What you need to know:
- The report shows that the use of modern contraceptives between 2014 and 2021 rose by 17 per cent.
- The survey involved 794 women aged 15-49. It further shows that 30 in every 100 women used modern contraceptives in 2021.
There is a tremendous increase in the uptake of modern contraceptives in West Pokot County, a report by Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) has revealed.
The report shows that the use of modern contraceptives between 2014 and 2021 rose by 17 per cent.
The survey involved 794 women aged 15-49. It further shows that 30 in every 100 women used modern contraceptives in 2021.
“The report shows that every woman in the county has an average of seven children,” said Michael Waithaka, a PMA official.
PMA is a programme implemented by the International Center for Reproductive Health in collaboration with National Council of Population Development and the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
“The use of various modern contraceptives methods were 46 percent injectable, 40 per cent implants, two per cent intrauterine devices, four per cent sterilisation, six per cent pills, zero per cent condom, zero per cent emergency contraceptives and two per cent other methods in 2021,” he said.
Speaking during a community gatekeepers' dissemination workshop in Kapenguria, Mr Waithaka explained that unmet needs for contraceptives among married women were 22 per cent in 2016 and 25 per cent in 2021.
“Some 17.7 per cent of adolescents were using contraceptives according to the report by PMA,” he said.
On sexuality, Mr Waithaka noted that eight in every 10 adolescents are sexually active.
“We asked them the last time they had sex if they used a preventive a pregnancy but nine in every 10 said they didn’t use it. That is why we have a high rate of teenage pregnancies in the region,” he said.
He pointed out that there are high levels of availability of contraceptives methods, though there is a challenge in preparedness and readiness to insert and remove implants.
“About 50 out of 100 facilities are ready to offer implants in terms of having trained personnel, instruments and supplies,” he said.
Mr Waithaka noted that nine in every 10 women learnt how to use contraceptives from public facilities.
He added that four out 10 people face gender-based violence in West Pokot.
“One woman among three reports gender-based violence. This is not done by an intimate partner but a non-partner household member. A majority do not seek help and a few who sought help after being violated go to families, in-laws or friends,” he said.
Kapenguria Assistant County Commissioner Ruth Wachira called on youth-led organisations, women groups, civil societies and media to help sensitise the community in remote areas on the vices. “We need to have a discussion for the vices to come to an end,” she said.
