This archive report was first published on 2 July 2021.
Kitui County is facing a significant challenge in promoting the use of modern family planning methods, according to a report by Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA).
Published in 2020, the report highlights the importance of comprehensive information on modern contraceptives, citing a lack of access to proper information as a major hindrance to optimal uptake and use.
Speaking on the findings, PMA's Senior Technical Advisor Mary Thiongo noted that only 47% of women of reproductive age in Kitui have access to proper information on usage and possible side effects of various conventional family planning methods.
Thiongo attributed the low uptake of modern family planning methods to unfounded myths and misconceptions, which have led to a paltry 4% improvement in contraceptive uptake between 2014 and 2020.
However, the county health department is working on an action plan to bridge the information gap, with a focus on equipping adolescents with proper information regarding sexual and reproductive needs.
