Kenya has made strides in increasing its modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) and sustaining demand, but is still faced with a challenge of increasing use in counties with low contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) and sustaining use among counties with high contraceptive prevalence rate.
With an aim to increase access to, and use of, modern contraceptives across Isiolo County, PS Kenya through the Delivering Sustainable and Equitable Increases in Family Planning (DESIP) programme and in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the County Government of Isiolo has commissioned Community Based Distributors (CBDs) who will play a critical role in ensuring greater and more equitable access to, and uptake of, modern contraceptive services in the County, with a particular focus on poor rural women and persons with disabilities.
Why Isiolo County
Isiolo County is categorized under the underserved, hard-to-reach counties with a contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) of 27.0 and a modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) of 26.3 against a national contraceptive prevalence rate of 58 and modern contraceptive prevalence rate of 53 (KDHS 2014). This is a clear indication that interventions like the CBD approach will help increase the CPR by increasing access to contraceptive information and services.
The community-based distributors initiative is a high impact, low cost intervention of accelerating progress toward SDGs. This intervention aims to remove barriers that impede access to FP information and services, with major restrictive barriers in the provision of family planning services in Kenya being distance, cost, religion, culture, rumors and misconception, provider bias, and legal and medical regulations. The Community Based Distributors were taken through a three-week rigorous training that was spearheaded by the Ministry of Health in partnership with the County. This saw them get empowered with the necessary skills to educate, counsel and provide short term FP services to the community.
While officiating the CBDs graduation ceremony, the County Executive Committee Member in charge of health was categorical of the impact the CBD program would have in the County. “We are grateful to our DESIP partners for this program. The Community Based Distributors will play a critical role in ensuring that our communities access reproductive health services close to their door step,” Hon. Wario Galma, CECM Health Isiolo County.
similar trainings have been conducted in Narok, Kajiado, Baringo and West Pokot Counties, all supported by the DESIP programme.
DESIP is a UK aid funded programme focused on Delivering Sustainable and Equitable Increases in Family Planning (DESIP) in low Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) counties in line with KENYA ‘Vision 2030’.
