West Pokot County Residents Urged To Embrace Family Planning Methods

By Benson Aswani,

Only 23.3 percent of West Pokot County residents have embraced family planning methods as the county prepares to mark World Contraceptive Day on 26th September.

Speaking to Kalya Digital, the West Pokot County officer in charge of reproductive health in the Ministry of Health, Mrs. Consolata Sire said that this is because most of the residents have not received education on family planning.

Mrs. Sire expressed the need for the residents to visit health centers for education about family planning and its health benefits.

“Our people lack education on family planning methods, a situation that has led to a low percentage of women who have embraced it,” said Mrs. Sire.

The reproductive health officer further said that family planning has received resistance from men who have forbidden their wives from embracing the methods for fear of infertility.

“Misconception about family planning is another obstacle. Men from West Pokot County have forbidden their wives from using family planning methods believing that it causes infertility,” she said.

At the same time, Sire expressed her dismay at the large number of early pregnancy cases among girls in West Pokot County which stands at 36 percent.

“We still have a high rate of early pregnancies in our county where it stands at 36 percent. This is very high compared to the national figures,” she added.