Centre for Reproductive Rights (CCR) has collaborated with Ministry of Health and Stakeholders to promote a better understanding of ‘Triple Threat’ in Nairobi County.
The collaboration aims to provide a platform for stakeholders to share experiences, review and asses the existing legal and policy frameworks pertaining to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) within the country.
Triple threats comprise of family planning, maternal health, access to safe abortion and prevention of sexually transmitted infections. Sexual and reproductive health and rights are fundamental components of the response to address the triple threat.
Ministry of Health, Division of the Reproductive and Maternal Health representative, Dr. Jane Koech, said that the County Integration to reproductive and maternal health has a policy framework for the year 2022-2032 that has a strategy that collaborates with the vision in various divisions in the ministry.
“We have triple threat as a country and five strategic directions namely, reducing maternal and prenatal mortality and mobility in the country, to reduce human immunodeficiency virus and elimination from mother to child,” she said.
Other strategies are to improve health program outcome from 12 percent to 62 percent, to develop postpartum hemorrhage and promoting gender equality.
Dr. Koech added that the country integration is working towards achieving the goal of family planning.
She was speaking on Wednesday during the Reproductive Health Stakeholders meeting towards combating the triple threat in the Nairobi County held at a Nairobi hotel.
She at the same time noted that people from age 15 to 49 are not able to access reproductive equipment such as family planning, a concern that has made the ministry of health to come up with new interventions that will entail a new innovation and modalities of new market products in order to address reduction.
Dr. Koech told the gathering that the ministry has improved the health outcome of adolescent and young people through various strategies which include youth friendly services in health facilities from level 3, level 4, level 5 and level 6 hospitals, development of comprehensive strategy at the division and promotion of gender equity in relation and medication.
She added that the CCR has collaborated with stakeholders and chiefs on the return to school policy to ensure the policy allow girls who become pregnant to continue with their education.
Dr. Koech urged stakeholders to support the community in combating the triple threat as they become a voice and share their insights experiences and knowledge related to the triple threat and Sexual and Reproductive health and right in the country.
Center for Reproductive Rights Associate Director for Africa, legal strategies, Martin Onyango said that CRR has span a broad spectrum to ensure that adolescent access sexual and reproductive health services, and will continue to advocate for quality maternal healthcare to safe and legal abortion and assisted reproduction.
“In Kenya, specifically as part of our operation in Nairobi County, our efforts are crucial in addressing the overlapping challenges of new HIV infection, adolescent pregnancy and sexual and gender-based violence which is Triple threat,” he said.
Mr. Onyango announced that through innovative legal strategies, the center has achieved ground breaking victories before the United Nation committee and regional human rights bodies, saying the success achieved has dismantled harmful laws and policies thereby holding government accountable thus expanding reproductive rights success across the globe and in Africa.
“We urge our partners especially those operating in Nairobi County to continue joining forces so that we strive towards the future where stronger legal protection and reproductive rights are a reality for all not just in Nairobi County but in Kenya,” he added.
By Sharon Atieno and Blessing Mutheu
