By: Cynthia Masibo
Kenya’s reproductive health stakeholders gathered in Nairobi for the National DESIP Dissemination Conference, reflecting on the successes of the Delivering Sustainable and Equitable Increases in Family Planning (DESIP) Programme. Funded by UK Aid through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the six-year initiative has played a pivotal role in enhancing access to family planning (FP) services, particularly for vulnerable populations in rural and marginalized areas.
Themed “Reaching the Most Vulnerable to the Last Mile: Reflections on Innovative Family Planning Practices,” the conference highlighted the programme’s contributions to advancing reproductive health equity and sustainability in Kenya. Implemented across 12 counties with low modern contraceptive prevalence rates (mCPR), DESIP has empowered women, adolescents, and people with disabilities to make informed reproductive health choices, reducing maternal, neonatal, and child mortality.
PS Kenya’s CEO, Dr. Margaret Njenga, lauded the programme’s impact, stating, “The DESIP Programme has been a game-changer in Kenya’s reproductive health landscape, empowering thousands of women and marginalized communities with access to quality family planning services. Through strategic partnerships and innovative approaches, DESIP has strengthened health systems and made a significant impact in reducing maternal mortality while advancing Kenya’s FP2030 commitments. As we celebrate the successful conclusion of this programme, PS Kenya remains steadfast in its commitment to sustaining these gains and ensuring that every woman has the right and opportunity to make informed reproductive health choices.”
The British High Commission’s Deputy Development Director, Eduarda Mendonca-Gray, reiterated the UK’s commitment to reproductive health, emphasizing the role of innovation in the programme’s success. “The UK has a long history of working on sexual and reproductive health alongside the Kenyan government. Innovation has been vital to the transformative change we have seen across the ten counties we have been working in,” she said.
She further highlighted the UK’s investment in the world’s first Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health – Development Impact Bond, which has enabled over 400,000 girls and women in low-income settings to access FP services in urban and peri-urban areas. “The UK’s initial investment of $6.4 million in this impact bond has been scaled up by the UN-SDG platform through UNFPA, UNAIDS, and WHO, doubling to $12 million. The private sector has also stepped in to mitigate the financial gap in purchasing FP commodities, ensuring continued accessibility,” Mendonca-Gray added.
Kenya’s progress in family planning is reflected in the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS), which reported an increase in modern contraceptive prevalence rates among married women from 53% in 2014 to 57% in 2022. DESIP-supported counties played a crucial role in these gains, contributing to Kenya’s recognition as an FP2030 exemplar country.
As the programme concludes, stakeholders expressed optimism that its achievements will be sustained through continued partnerships, policy support, and innovative financing mechanisms. The commitment to ensuring access to quality FP services remains a priority as Kenya works towards achieving universal health coverage and reproductive health equity.
Mt Kenya Times