IN SUMMARY
- Stakeholders oppose Nairobi County Finance Bill proposing new family planning charges
- Men urged to support their partners seeking contraceptive services
- Misuse of contraceptives posing huge health risk
Ghetto radio crew took part in a community advocacy event held at the Githurai Sports ground today as the World marked the World Contraception Day .
The event saw different stakeholders come together with a similar aim of spearheading conversations around the use and accessibility of different family planning methods .
Speaking during the event The Link Empowerment Initiative Director Zachariah Kahwai noted that the Ministry of health needs to fund more ,initiatives addressing reproductive health issues and work on ensuring women and young girls can access their preferred choice of contraception.
Myths Around use of Contraceptives
Speaking at the event different reproductive health advocates shared common myths around the use of contraceptives
They discouraged situations where young women choose the coil and continue having different sexual partners
” it’s unsafe for young girls to use the coil as a contraceptive methods and still have multiple sexual partners , this exposes women to other sexually transmitted diseases”
The emergency pill according to a speaker representing Githurai link initiative is the being misused, which poses a greater health risk
” P2 ni emergency pill na inafaa kutumiwa not more than twice per year, if used carelessly it had adverse effects , unapata cases where madem wanacomplain kuhusu a change on their menstrual cycle ” noted a representative
What Men say
Community advocates have called on men to support their partners while they seek family planning services,
” Unapata Kuna cases kina mama wanasema waume zao wanawanyima support wakisema pills zinafanya wanawake wananona,” noted a different speaker
Men have also complained that in some cases their partners have not opened up about using contraceptives hence leaving them on the dark
” Unapata wanawake pia kwa ndoa hawaambii waume zao kuhusu contraceptives wanatumia, which has caused issues in the family”
Adding on to that she has urged partners to collectively have discussions around contraceptive use and also consult a heath facility and get more information.
