KENYA – Kenya’s Ministry of Health has unveiled the national reproductive health policy for the period 2022-2032 that seeks to address maternal health, family planning, adolescence and young adults’ reproductive health as well as marginalized persons and age cohorts in reproductive health.
The reproductive health policy highlights age specific needs of the entire life spectrum of the population and contains bold steps meant to achieve universal quality reproductive health care and services in line with the right to the highest status of health as enshrined in the constitution of Kenya 2010.
The reproductive strategy focuses on priority areas such as the reproductive health needs of a baby born intersex and support to an adolescent seeking guided understanding of the changes occurring and protection from harm as they cross over to adulthood.
Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes.
The policy will support families seeking to prevent reproductive cancers or struggling with a member afflicted by cancer of the cervix, ovary, breast or reproductive tract and prioritizes reproductive health needs of older citizens including menopause and andropause.
In addition, the policy further mainstreams the special reproductive health needs of persons born with disability and the key document is as an opportunity to protect the life course of Kenyans health towards enjoyment of the highest attainable status of health.
The reproductive policy also seeks to provide age appropriate and culturally competent information and education to guide the nation in ensuring that reproductive health remains the pillar of good health due to the role of information in shaping one’s reproductive health trajectory.
Health Principal Secretary Susan Mochache said that the government recognizes reproductive health as an essential component of the national development agenda as it moves to consolidate impressive gains made in the recent past that have unmasked new challenges that call for bold policy shifts.
The Government of Kenya has committed to improving the reproductive and pregnancy related health outcomes through universal health coverage specifically through the Linda Mama Programme which has seen millions of pregnant women access skilled care at birth.
Kenya Medical Association President Dr. Simon Kigondu noted that the national reproductive health policy is key in ongoing health sector reforms while encouraging stakeholder collaboration to protect the women of Kenya.
Dr Simon Kigondu pleaded with the policy development team to utilize the available and much needed injection of cash from the National Treasury to undertake extensive research on women reproduction and give feedback to the Ministry of Health.
Moreover, Director Medical Services, Preventive and Promotive Health at MoH Dr. Andrew Mulwa emphasized that the policy is meant to align reproductive health with provisions of the constitution as expounded on article 43 on right to the highest attainable standards of healthcare to the public.
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