“Not only did Kenya attain the targeted 56 per cent in family planning, it surpassed it,” Olajide said.
NAIROBI, Kenya Jul 11 – Kenya has been lauded for being the only country that has attained and surpassed the global targets for family planning globally.
The United Nation’s Population Fund (UNFPA) country representative Dr. Ademola Olajide says though Kenya has attained the family planning targets, a significant portion of women in the Sub-Saharan Africa still have closely spaced births, a major contributor to the region’s relatively high infant and child mortality rates.
“Population is not about numbers , it’s my pleasure to note that the government of Kenya is committed to far reaching measures of family planning and that not only did Kenya attain the targeted 56 per cent in family planning, it surpassed it and from where I come from the reward for good work is more work,” said Olajide.
Family planning, empowering people and developing nations was the theme of this year’s world population day which is commemorated annually to address the urgency and importance of population issues.
In line with the celebrations, the Ministry of planning and Devolution assured that it will increase its budget allocation towards family planning services as well as encourage counties to create budget lines for family planning programs.
“The government of Kenya will increase the national budget to family planning services we also encourage the counties to create a budget for family planning services.”
Dr. Olajide added that strengthening of health systems is key to addressing service level barriers to contraceptive uptake and continuity.
According to Lancet, investing in family planning contributes to savings in maternal and child health care costs since fewer mothers will seek care for pregnancy complications, unsafe abortion and delivery.
Tuesday’s celebration also saw the launch of the Kenya Demographic Dividend Road Map whose main objective is to ensure that the country harnesses the potential of its youthful population in driving the country towards the aspirations of vision 2030.
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