The United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) has partnered with the Homa Bay county government to boost
reproductive health services and reduce teenage pregnancies in the region.
The UNFP Country Representative, Dr. Ademola Olajide said the organisation had allocated over Sh.50 million to enhance maternal health care services and adolescent reproductive health in the county since
the year 2014.
Dr. Ademola said the organisation is partnering with the county government to support child health,maternal care to reduce child mortality rate and curb adolescent pregnancies which was currently on the rise in the county.
Speaking on Thursday when they paid a courtesy call to area Governor Cyprian Awiti, the UNPF representative said that they were mapping out hotspot areas where child mortality rate and teenage pregnancies were rampant so that they could take urgent remedial measures.
He noted that the prolonged closure of schools due to the Covid-19 pandemic had led to a spike in teen pregnancies and early marriages and that it was the responsibility of all stakeholders to reverse the trend.
Governor Awiti on his part thanked the UNPF for the support it had accorded the county in reversing the negative health indicators.
He warned that culprits behind the rampant teenage pregnancies and cases of defilement in the county will face the full force of the law.
The Governor said men should never be left out in any interventions on reproductive health because they played an integral role in the entire process.
Also present was the Deputy Governor, Hamilton Orata and the County Executive Member for Health, Prof. Ouma Muga.
By Davis Langat
