Condom shortage raises fears of rise in unplanned pregnancies

Kenya is facing an acute shortage of family planning commodities that has persisted for several months, raising concerns over a possible rise in unplanned pregnancies and abortions.

National stocks remain in a critical state, with the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) reporting that most commodities are below the recommended minimum stock level of 16 months.

Commonly used methods such as Depo-Provera, long-acting injections, and daily oral contraceptives are now at zero stock.

Citizen TV spoke to some of the affected people in the sprawling Kibera slums, where an ongoing shortage of contraceptives is biting hard, with its effects felt across vulnerable households where access to reproductive health services remains limited.

Here, the consequences are unfolding in painful and varied ways, hitting hardest among low-income families already grappling with daily survival challenges.

Citizen TV spoke to Grace Njeri and Cynthia Teresia, young mothers who say they live in constant fear of unplanned pregnancies, a strain that is not only personal but is also pushing their marriages to the brink of collapse.

“Kuna wakati mzee ana insist nimpee haki yake na pia siwezi mnyima haki yake so inalazimika nimpatatie nikifika asubuhi naenda kutafuta P2 na pia P2 is expensive moja ni 200 na hio pesa hauna na pia kuna shortage so unaenda duka mingi ndio upate,” said a Kibera resident Grace Njeri.

Another Cynthia Teresia added, “Hizi family planning zimepotea kwa sana, kutoka last year hakuna family planning. Naamka asubuhi naenda kutafuta kakibarua before 72 hours ziishe nione vile nitapata pesa ninunue P2.”

Men are equally feeling the impact of the shortage, with some saying condoms are increasingly hard to come by, exposing families to both unplanned pregnancies and infections.

“Mi ni mzazi niko na mtoto moja na nimeoa. Nilikuwa naomba kama tunaweza pata stuff kama hizo zitatusaidia sana especially kwa kijiji, sisi tunaishi maisha very tough. Unajua pia bila kazi uwezi pata doo ya kunua hizi protections,” said Stephen Odhiambo.

For the past six months, the two women, representing many others, have been unable to access family planning services after their three-month injection ran out in January.

Repeated visits to community clinics, government dispensaries, and nearby health facilities have yielded no results due to the unavailability of contraceptives.

They say the shortage has become a heavy burden and, at times, a source of conflict in their households.

“Mimi kama mwanamke, hio kutopata family planning inanihuzunisha sana juu sometimes unafikiria kutopea mzee haki yake anaeza hanywa nje akuletee magonjwa na ataona pia una mcheat sasa naomba tu family planning zikuje kwa wingi,” Grace noted.

A Social worker Evelyne Mwoha added, “Unapata kwa nyumba kama hakuna contraceptive kuna issues to do with trust. Pengine mwanaume anaona bibi yake analala nje mwanamke naye anaogopa bwana analala nje so kuna ugomvi. Mwingine anasema sikupeatii na mwingine anasema unanipatia by force, so inaleta vita.”

The issue has now reached the National Assembly, with Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda terming it a systemic underfunding problem that contravenes Kenya’s MoU with development partners, which committed the government to progressively increase domestic financing for family planning commodities.

Community clinics say they have already noted a rise in some of the unintended consequences of unmet family planning needs, warning that if not corrected, the situation could become catastrophic.

“There’s no condom they can use or protect themselves… we have statistics, most of them are youths. We have been treating gonorrhoea, increased cases, this month alone we found five youths with it and one girl with syphilis,” said Dr. Steve Ochieng, of St. Regina Caeli Hospital