Breaking News: Kenya’s Homa Bay County Launches 5-Year Costed Family Planning Strategic Plan

On April 23, the Homa Bay County government launched a new five-year family planning strategic plan (2015-2019)—a county with some of the poorest sexual and reproductive health outcomes in Kenya, including high adolescent pregnancy rates.

Advocacy for the costed strategy began in mid-2014 with an Opportunity Fund award to KMET, a Kenyan civil society organization based in Kisumu. KMET supported the county governor and health management team in development of the strategic plan, engaging a diverse cohort of stakeholders throughout the process.

In June 2014, KMET signed a memorandum of understanding with the county government, which became the basis for creating an 11-person family planning task force led by the county’s director of health services. A situational analysis conducted in five sub-counties then helped to define priorities within the strategic plan.

The Ministry of Health, county assembly leaders and partners validated the 1.8 billion shilling strategy in March 2015. KMET has already secured a number of partner commitments toward its implementation. Immediate advocacy objectives will focus on ensuring resources are allocated for health worker training and contraceptives, and that the family planning strategy is included in Homa Bay’s annual work plan.