Migori sets aside family planning funds

Migori County has set aside Ksh 30 million towards family planning strategies in a bid to control the high population growth in the county.

Migori is among eight other counties in Kenya taking part in The Challenge Initiative (TCI), locally dubbed Tupange Pamoja.

TCI is a program launched by The Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health, a global urban reproductive health program supported by a three-year, USD42 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kilifi, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kericho and Uasin Gishu are the other counties that have invested funds towards Family Planning. For every USD1 a county invests in family planning, it would reap the benefits of USD120 in future according to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Migori County Deputy Governor, Mahanga Mwita, who was speaking during the launch of Tupange Pamoja Initiative, said that the county government is committed to improving access to family planning services, which will in turn help in improving the living standards of Migori people.

“Currently, we have many challenges hindering the process of family planning for example religion and cultural beliefs. But we have better plans to improve the locals reception towards family planning,” said the deputy Governor.

Migori County targets 52% uptake of family planning from its current 44% by 2022 according to its Family Planning Costed Implementation Plan 2017-2022, a five-year roadmap designed to help Migori County Government achieve its family planning goals.

Written by Majanga Michael