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Health rights activists are calling on the government to ensure a steady supply of free condoms in universities and other higher learning institutions.
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In Nakuru, sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) advocates, including clergy, student leaders, civil society organizations, and community leaders, have raised concerns about the declining availability of free condoms in universities. They warned that the limited supply, which has been at an all-time low since 2023, could lead to a rise in new HIV and sexually transmitted infections.
Livia Bosibori, a student leader at Egerton University, highlighted that students lack access to essential tools for safe and protected sex, despite many being sexually active. As a senior student in medicine and surgery and a volunteer champion at the Reproductive Health Champion Organisation (RHCO), she also pointed out that numerous female students drop out of university annually due to unwanted pregnancies.
During a community dialogue held in Nakuru on Tuesday to mark the International Day of Families, Bosibori noted that the issue could worsen due to a funding freeze by the United States. The dialogue, organized by RHCO, aimed to explore the role of families in promoting SRHR and how family-level decisions on these matters impact family stability and overall well-being.
Bosibori also emphasized that university SRHR clubs lack sufficient funding to run effective awareness campaigns and outreach programs. She expressed concern over the lack of knowledge about sexual and reproductive health among young people, as well as the insufficient support systems for those who become infected or pregnant. She mentioned that there is only one recovery center in Nakuru, located at the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital, which is inadequate for the need.
Hafsa Ondieki echoed Bosibori’s concerns and called for the creation of safe spaces where youth could discuss sexual and reproductive health openly, in a language they understand, without fear of judgment or discrimination. She argued that conversations about sex should no longer be taboo, urging parents to talk to their children about it and suggesting that religious institutions like churches, mosques, and temples incorporate sex education into their teachings.
Ondieki also urged county governments to develop gender and reproductive health laws that address issues affecting both men and women at the grassroots level, particularly challenges faced by mothers and young girls dealing with teenage pregnancies.
Martin Lunalo, the Executive Director of RHCO, expressed concern about rising maternal deaths in public hospitals since the introduction of the Social Health Authority (SHA). He stressed that to ensure happy families and communities, the government must ensure access to safe healthcare services, as guaranteed by the constitution. Lunalo reminded that the family unit is legally recognized under Article 45 of the constitution and emphasized that promoting family well-being is impossible if women continue to die during childbirth.
