KENYA – Kenya’s Ministry of Health has launched a five-year reproductive health priority research and learning agenda that will serve as a guide for conducting reproductive health research as well as support the coordination of reproductive health research and programmatic activities.

The agenda seeks to reduce duplication and allow for prudent utilization of available resources while guiding health sector players in addressing existing gaps in reproductive healthcare delivery at a time when research remains the driver of a nation’s curiosity to seek answers on important matters.

The National Reproductive Health Priority Research and Learning Agenda for the period 2022-2027 was developed through the Ministry’s Technical Division responsible for Reproductive and Maternal Health (DRMH) in a bid to bridge evidence gap during the development of health policies.

Additionally, the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCOK), Kenya Obstetrical Gynaecological Society (KOGS), FHI-360 and National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) were among the donors for the National Reproductive Health Priority Research and Learning Agenda.

The key documents focus on defining priority reproductive health research and learning needs for Kenya through isolation of evidence gaps and guided generation of quality contextualized reproductive health information by all relevant players.

Every individual has the right to make their own choices about their sexual and reproductive health based on sound information from ethical and professional research

MoH Acting Director General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth

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In addition, the agenda seeks to enhance efficient conduct of reproductive health research in Kenya through deliberate coordination and accountability that spurs originality, eliminates duplicity as well as enhances prudent utilization of reproductive health resources in the country.

The Ministry of Health pointed out that the National Reproductive Health Priority Research and Learning Agenda (2022-2027) seeks to propose reproductive health research priorities stemming from an exercise conducted in 2022.

The Ministry further said that the reproductive health study conducted in 2022 brought together researchers, program managers, research oversight and accountability institutions, counties, partners and service implementing agencies from across the country.

Subsequently, Kenya has launched the National Reproductive Health Priority Research and Learning Agenda with an aim to call for unity of purpose in deed and resources among all research actors into fast-tracking search for answers to improvement of reproductive health maternal systems.

Head of Reproductive and Maternal Health at the Health Ministry Dr. Stephen Kaliti noted that in-country reproductive health research capacity is key to creating improvements in local implementation of reproductive health programs and prioritizing reproductive health issues in a landscape of limited funding.

The documents will also help to spur interest in local reproductive health research towards generating a body of local evidence that is readily available and accessible to inform policies and program activities in the country while supporting the coordination of research for evidence-based interventions.

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