Kisumu: The Kisumu County Department of Health, in collaboration with Hope to the Vulnerable Communities Organization (HOVUC), has unveiled a two-year campaign aimed at addressing the challenges of teenage pregnancy in the Ombeyi-Miwani Ward, Muhoroni Sub-County. The initiative, known as the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) campaign, will feature a six-day sensitization session for adolescents and young people at the Ramula Health Facility in the ward.
According to Kenya News Agency, the campaign targets young boys and girls aged 10 to 25 across Muhoroni Sub-County, with an emphasis on providing accurate and comprehensive SRHR information and services, including menstrual health, hygiene management, and family planning methods. The Kenya Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Report 2025 highlights that Ombeyi-Miwani Ward holds the highest proportion of teenage mothers in Kisumu County. Consolata Otieno, a Reproductive Health Coordinator in the sub-county, noted a rising number of adolescent girls aged 10-19 with unplanned pregnancies.
During the program’s launch, Otieno addressed the high rates of Gender-Based Violence, STIs, mental health issues, and new HIV/AIDS infections among adolescents, underscoring the campaign’s timeliness and importance. HOVUC has established a dedicated space at Ramula Dispensary to offer free education to young people on preventing early pregnancies. Anthony Oduor, a representative from HOVUC, highlighted the lack of knowledge about safe sex, family planning, and menstrual health as contributors to teenage pregnancies in the area.
The clinic aims to provide comprehensive SRHR information, covering topics such as menstrual health, family planning, STI prevention, consent, confidentiality, and bodily autonomy. Beneficiaries will receive practical demonstrations on using SRHR commodities and access services like STI screening, HIV testing, pregnancy testing, cervical cancer screening, and counseling.
Oduor expressed optimism about the program’s impact, anticipating a significant reduction in teenage pregnancies in Ombeyi-Miwani Ward by December 2027. He encouraged parents to allow their children to attend the youth clinic, which operates from Monday to Saturday.
Jessica Akinyi, in charge of Ramula Dispensary, praised the sexual health awareness drive, emphasizing its importance in supporting young people to secure a brighter future. She noted the worrying trends of unsafe abortions and defilement cases, some of which remain unreported, underscoring the campaign’s critical role in addressing these issues.
