Unlike women, men in Kilifi county have completely sidelined family planning methods something that has been attributed to enduring misconceptions and traditional beliefs among them.
This is in spite of an ongoing sensitization in the county about the various methods of contraceptives to embrace which include; male and female condoms, pills, IUDs, hormonal implants, and voluntary sterilization or vasectomy.
Nelly Munyasia a coordinator from a reproductive health organisation says the lack of proper family planning methods especially in parts of Ganze and Magarini has been the leading cause of continuous poverty in the county.
She says they are still working toward teaching residents about the benefits of family planning.
“We have provided a lot of information through the fliers that contain information on the use of contraceptives, where they can access them and why they are very important. Today also we have one on one with the women. Our doctors are also here to speak to them just to let them know more about contraceptives and their importance. We have also brought the modern contraceptives, especially the long term that last 3 and 5 years,” Nelly said.
A number of women from Dzikunze, Ganze Sub-county, have also shared their frustrations claiming that they are forced to give birth to many children by their husbands who do not appraise family planning methods.
Selina Kombe says that she has been forced to use family planning secretly.
“I talked to my husband on the issue of family planning but he disagreed completely claiming that he can raise even 10 children. I, therefore, decided to take an action on my own. I have endured severe conditions during all my pregnancies and to curb that, I made a secret appointment with a doctor. I asked him to give me contraceptives that my husband will not notice in order to give my children a good gap for proper growth,” Selina said.
Speaking to some of the men in the county, most stated that contraceptives have severe and visible effects on their wives, Some said women’s sexual urges are also affected which becomes a challenge to them.
“We men are accused of denying our wives freedom to use contraceptives or rather not embracing family planning as a whole. For sure that’s true but we have reasons. Women on contraceptives lack sexual desires or urge. This leads to marital conflict since husbands feel deprived of their conjugal right,” Jonathan said.
“Besides, contraceptives lead to weight gain and our wives end up losing their original figures,” he added.
