PS Kenya through the Accelerate program hosted a team from the Danish Embassy ( DANIDA) in Kenya led by the Ambassador, Ole Thonke. The team visited Mathare slums where they got a chance to interact with beneficiaries and appreciate how the program is contributing towards access to quality sexual and reproductive health services (SRHR), prevention, and management of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
With funding from Danida, the Accelerate program is working towards a reduction in maternal mortality and morbidity, reducing the unmet need for SRHR (including FP), and decreasing the prevalence of Gender-Based Violence (including HTPs). In Nairobi County, the program is strategically being implemented in sub-counties with existing gaps in addressing SRHR and GBV. They include Mathare, Ruaraka, Kibra, and Lang’ata sub-counties.
To achieve its goals, the program targets both the community and health providers. On health providers, the program is strengthening their capacity in providing SRH services and addressing GBV-related cases by equipping them with the necessary information and skills. This is being achieved through continuous medical education (CMEs) training, conducting joint support supervision, and support quarterly in charges meetings and technical working groups including production and distribution of IEC materials.
On the other hand, the program is working with Community Based Organizations to sensitize their community on SRHR and GBV, this is achieved through community dialogues, conducting integrated outreaches to increase access to Sexual and Reproductive Health services, and to do referrals for GBV cases.
Accelerate program is being implemented in 12 other underserved and hard to reach counties and works towards the realization of the ICPD25 Promise of zero unmet need for contraception, zero preventable maternal deaths, and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices.
By Ezra Abaga