This archive report was first published on 2 July 2021.
Kitui County in Kenya continues to grapple with the challenge of low family planning uptake, largely due to negative myths and misconceptions.
According to a 2020 survey conducted by Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA), a staggering 53% of women of reproductive age in Kitui County do not have access to proper information on the usage and possible side effects of modern contraceptives.
Speaking on the findings, PMA's Senior Technical Advisor Mary Thiongo noted that the lack of comprehensive information has led to a situation where unfounded myths and misconceptions have taken center stage, causing some women to shy away from contraceptives.
Ms. Thiongo pointed out that despite a paltry 4% improvement in contraceptive uptake between 2014 and 2020, the county health department is working on an action plan to bridge the information gap.
Furthermore, the survey revealed that 43% of teenagers in Kitui County are actively engaged in sexual relationships, with only 7.7% of them using modern family planning methods.
Ms. Thiongo emphasized that the trend is worrying, but the county government has committed to putting in place measures to equip adolescents with proper information regarding their sexual and reproductive needs.
