By Matilda Atieno
Residents of Rabuor in Kisumu County today joined the world in marking contraception day, with celebrations hosted at Rabuor Sub-County hospital in Nyando.
World contraception day is aimed at raising awareness about the importance of contraception, how access to contraception is important, why being able to use contraception is part of an individual’s reproductive rights, and empowering women and men to choose their pregnancies.
This year’s celebrations-themed ‘breaking myths in family planning’ aim at re-orienting family planning services to dispel myths against contraception specifically to ensure adherence to public health and social measures in family planning service delivery.
The ceremony was graced by the County Deputy nursing officer sister Mildred Uduny, flanked by the county health management committee, county director of health Mr. Fredrick Oluoch, county reproductive health coordinator Madam Jane Owuor together with the Sub-County health management team.
In her remarks, Mrs. Uduny acknowledged that myths and misconceptions about modern methods of family planning has been identified as a barrier to contraceptive use which is also due to inadequate and incorrect knowledge of modern contraceptives.
“Among the priority interventions for improving maternal and child health outcomes is addressing the burden of unintended pregnancy among women of reproductive age and improving access to quality family planning services in line with the guidelines, enabling family planning Commodity security and aligning the entire component to UHC under Marwa which is set to benefit 45000 household indigents”. Stated Mrs. Uduny.
The county director health Mr. Fredrick Oluoch affirmed the county action towards advocating for behaviour change as well as recognizing reproductive health and rights including voluntary family planning as foundational to development. The county director emphasized on the need to forge ahead noting that Contraception is an integral part of family decision-making.
The county reproductive health coordinator Madam Jane Owuor highlighted the growing need for men to take steps on their own to ensure that unwanted pregnancies are minimized urging that men are equally responsible for ensuring against unwanted and unsafe pregnancies as their female sexual partners.
With the establishment of the Kisumu County Costed Family Planning Implementation Plan (FPCIP-2019-2023) as well as scaling up of family health program through training that was piloted in Muhoroni Sub-County where more than 100 health staff were trained earlier this year, indicates county government’s commitment to ensure sustainable family planning services.
Current reports have indicated that 44% of Women of reproductive age received FP commodities which is an improvement from 22% in 2020/22 in Kisumu County while 16% teenage pregnancy and Maternal Mortality rates of 343/100,000 Live Births (KNBS 2019).
In its Future steps, the county department of health commits to support sustainable family planning services and good practices and quality health service delivery.
