Makueni County Government is starting the year with a newly launched family planning costed implementation plan (2016-2020) in place.
County Governor Professor Kivutha Kibwana presided over the ceremony on December 9, 2016. If fully implemented, Governor Kibwana said that the costed strategy will help the county reach its target of increasing access to modern contraceptives to 72% by the year 2020. Modern contraceptive use in Makueni county is currently 65% (Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2014.)
Reaching the county’s target will not only contribute to averting maternal deaths, but spur development as well, he said. “Family planning increases the economic growth per capita output by 20-30%, contributing considerably to the attainment of the sustainable development goals,” the governor emphasized.
Advance Family Planning local partner Jhpiego Kenya and the Shina Foundation engaged with the County Governor and the Health Department to develop the costed strategic plan. As a result of their advocacy, the governor directed the Health Department to establish a family planning technical working group that led the strategy development efforts. The technical working group comprised officers from the health and planning departments; non-governmental organizations such as Amref Health Africa, Aphiaplus Kamili, Clinton Health Access Initiative, Jhpiego Kenya, Marie Stopes Kenya, Shina Foundation; and learning institutions.
Makueni County has already operationalized the county family planning costed plan—construction of a warehouse that will be used to store family planning commodities as provided for by the strategy is underway. The government also allocated an initial US $200,000 towards implementation of the costed strategy. A county accountability mechanism will also be strengthened to monitor and review progress on implementation of the strategy.
Makueni is the eighth county to launch an AFP-supported costed family planning strategy. The counties of Migori and Kwale are currently finalizing strategies, and are expected to be done early this year.