More Women Are Using Modern Family Planning Methods - MoH Reports
Speaking on September 22 during a meeting with health journalists and senior ministry officials, the head of promotive and preventive services at the ministry of health in Kenya, Andrew Mulwa reported that the number of women using modern family planning methods has increased.
Leah Mukangai 
According to Andrew, 52% of women in the country within the reproductive age are using modern family planning methods.
"This represents 5.2 million women, using modern family planning methods," Andrew stated.
Dr. Andrew Mulwa, head of promotive and preventive services at the ministry of health in Kenya. PHOTO FILE
“If we don’t take care of the population now, we will take care of the negative impact of population explosion in the immediate future,” Mulwa stated.
He also mentioned that the national government has increased domestic financing for family planning commodities, with the country on track to fully fund its contraception budgetary needs by 2026.
“The government allocated Sh559 million for family planning commodities in the 2020-2021 financial year, Sh563 million during 2021-2022 while Sh1.19 billion shillings has been set aside for the 2022-2023 financial cycle,” Andrew stated.
Issak Bashir, head of the department of family health, who was also present in the meeting blamed societal myths and misconceptions for low community uptake.
He went on to state that if the correct information and services are not made available to the general population, the majority of whom are young people, the country risks falling into a cycle of perpetual poverty.
The meeting was held ahead of World Contraception Day which will be marked on September 26.
Kenyans, on the other hand, have been warned that a banned Chinese oral contraceptive pill is harmful to their health.
According to Dr. Albert Ndwiga, the manager of the Ministry of Health's National Family Planning Programme, there is no family planning method that involves taking a pill once a month.
Contraceptives. PHOTO FILE
“If you see somebody distributing these kinds of pills, please warn them; they are very dangerous. They have severe side effects even on unborn children. They are sold as Chinese herbal medicines," Dr. Albert stated.
According to reports, the drug has failed to work, as several women have reported becoming pregnant after using it.
Children born to women who have used this pill have early breast and uterine enlargement, and males develop faster. Breastfed babies are also exposed to the drug's chemicals and run the risk of developing secondary sexual characteristics.
