Improving access to sexual and reproductive health services in Kenya

At factual twenty years historic, Esther Wamuhu from Laikipia West is determined to rewrite her future. A couple of years in the past, she had to effect her training on protect after an unintended pregnancy. Now, she is ready to return to school, finish her secondary training, and pursue her dream of going to university.

But there was one main hurdle — access to cheap family planning.

“I wanted a good family planning method, but I just couldn’t afford it,” Esther recalls. Then, in the future, she heard an announcement on her native radio location a pair of free health outreach happening in her village. She didn’t hesitate to scoot, and the scoot to turned out to be lifestyles changing.

“I received a five-year family planning method for free. Now, I can go back to school without the fear of another pregnancy.”  Esther Wamuhu

For loads of women like Esther, access to quality sexual and reproductive health services remains a inconvenience in Kenya — in particular in informal settlements and distant arid regions the keep aside excessive charges of maternal mortality, unintended pregnancy, and gender-based mostly mostly violence are customary

“We bridge the gap by taking these services directly to the communities,” explains Dr Timothy Panga, Chief Officer for Health in Laikipia County. “Many women might never visit a health facility unless they are facing a critical condition, so outreach programmes like these are essential.”

Recognizing the urgency of those wants, World Health Group (WHO) is making fundamental strides by providing sexual and reproductive health kits price US$ 100 000 to six priority counties — Kajiado, Samburu, Laikipia, Siaya, Marsabit, and Tana River. These kits contain very indispensable gives for family planning, put up-miscarriage and put up-abortion care, obstetric emergencies, and reinforce for survivors of gender-based mostly mostly violence.

This initiative is rooted in a comprehensive 2024 wants overview conducted by WHO and Ministry of Health that identified extreme gaps in training, very indispensable sexual and reproductive health gives, and community engagement. By strategically addressing these challenges, WHO is enabling more ladies and households to access lifestyles-saving reproductive health care services. 

For instance, in Samburu, a pressing shortage of Oxytocin — a really indispensable medication for preventing postpartum hemorrhage — was fleet resolved, ensuring effectively timed and efficient care. Additionally, the establishment of designated put up-abortion care rooms in the county health facilities ensures ladies receive care in a stable and confidential atmosphere with the easiest standard of reinforce with dignity and appreciate. As of February 2025, six put up-abortion care rooms were space up in the 6 counties which were geared up with very indispensable gives and medicines by WHO.

WHO will doubtless be supporting the capability building of health workers to pronounce comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services. By on-the-job training and mentorship by specialists, county health workers are gaining evolved talents in put up-abortion care and family planning, thus bolstering their self belief to provide quality and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights services. Bigger than 216 accept as true with up to now benefitted from the on-job training and mentorship in 36 facilities in six counties. Additionally, to address the gaps identified in 2024 round improving access in now now not easy-to-attain and underserved communities, WHO is expanding its affect by integrated outreach services, which accept as true with already reached over 3300 folk in Laikipia County alone, with 260 receiving family planning services and 1147 undergoing cancer screenings.

County leaders accept as true with lauded this initiative for its definite affect on ladies’s health. Governor Joseph Ole Lenku of Kajiado County expressed gratitude, emphasising the brand of WHO’s collaboration in reaching underserved populations.

“We finish now now not rob this reinforce as a right and if truth be told worship our collaboration fling with World Health Group,” he acknowledged.

As WHO continues to work with the government to expand access to quality reproductive healthcare, the focal point remains on strengthening health methods and empowering communities with information and sources for sustained gains in sexual and reproductive health and rights.