West Pokot county is taking steps to improve healthcare access for teen girls and young women as it seeks to reduce its high teen pregnancy rate. The county's teen pregnancy rate stands at 36.3%, significantly higher than the national average of 15% for adolescent girls aged 15 to 19. This is part of a national initiative targeting five counties, including Garissa, Homa Bay, Samburu, Tana River, and West Pokot.
The county has entered into a strategic multi-sectoral partnership with the National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) and the Reproductive Health Network of Kenya (RHNK) to roll out the HER Health Initiative. This initiative includes HER Health Happens Here, which aims to create youth-responsive health frameworks across all subcounties. The partnership aims to address the systemic challenges of female genital mutilation, early marriage, gender-based violence, and HIV infection.
Governor Simon Kachapin says that teen pregnancies, FGM, and early marriage have severely hurt health outcomes and economic opportunities for girls and young women. He emphasized the urgency of a coordinated response across all levels of government and civil society to address these challenges. The implementation of the HER Health Initiative will involve active participation from community youth champions, public health officers, and civil society actors.
The HER Initiative operates on three levels: national, county, and community. It aligns local strategies with national legal and policy frameworks to ensure structural support. The county level strengthens local healthcare facilities to provide youth-friendly, inclusive, and non-judgmental services. Fidelis Ndung’u, deputy director of Public Education and Advocacy at the NCPD, stated that the community level will mobilize grassroots stakeholders to eliminate backward practices such as FGM and child marriage.
A central priority of the HER Health Initiative is to improve the county's health indicators, including Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health. The initiative has a five-year roadmap that aims to reduce the teen pregnancy rate and overcome the challenges faced by girls and young women. Governor Kachapin stressed the importance of working together to bridge the gap and reduce these percentages.
Samburu has the highest teen pregnancy rate of more than 50%, followed by West Pokot at 36.3% and Marsabit at 29.4%. The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey reported these statistics, highlighting the need for targeted interventions in these counties. The HER Health Initiative is a critical step towards addressing these challenges and improving the health outcomes of girls and young women.
The implementation of the HER Health Initiative in West Pokot county is expected to have a positive impact on the health and well-being of girls and young women. By improving healthcare access and addressing systemic challenges, the county aims to reduce its high teen pregnancy rate and improve its health indicators. The partnership with the NCPD and RHNK is a significant step towards achieving this goal.
Key points
- West Pokot county has a teen pregnancy rate of 36.3%, more than twice the national average.
- The county has launched a five-year strategy to reduce the teen pregnancy rate and address systemic challenges.
- The HER Health Initiative aims to improve healthcare access and health indicators for girls and young women.
