Busia steps up contraception drive as teenage pregnancies remain high

Busia steps up contraception efforts as teenage pregnancy rates remain above the national average. [Courtesy]

Busia County has stepped up efforts to address teenage pregnancies by calling for improved access to contraception and reproductive health information among adolescents and young mothers.

Commemorated globally on September 26, under the theme “My Contraception, My Choice, My Future,” the event brought together young mothers, community leaders, health officials and reproductive health partners.

The primary goal was to encourage informed reproductive choices and tackle the systemic factors driving early pregnancies across the country.

Speaking at the event, county Gynaecologist Dr Janerose Ambuchi shared stark figures from the 2026 Kenya Health Information System (KHIS)data.

According to 2026 Kenya Health Information System (KHIS) data, Busia’s adolescent pregnancy rate stands at 16.9 per cent, above the national rate of 15.5 per cent.

County Gynaecologist Dr Janerose Ambuchi said the figures demonstrated the need for stronger interventions targeting adolescents and young women.

“Our adolescent pregnancy rate is 16.9 per cent compared to the national rate of 15.5 per cent. This tells us that we still have a lot of work to do in ensuring that young people have access to accurate information and reproductive health services,” Dr Ambuchi said.

Compounding the problem, contraceptive uptake in Busia lags far behind national benchmarks.

She said contraceptive uptake in the county currently stands at 47 per cent, compared with the national rate of 60 per cent.

“When we look at contraceptive uptake, Busia is at 47 per cent while the national figure is 60 per cent. We therefore need to intensify awareness and ensure that young people can access the services they need,” she said.

Bunyala Sub-County recorded the highest adolescent pregnancy rate at 20.8 per cent, followed by Butula at 19.4 per cent, Teso Central at 18.7 per cent and Samia at 18.6 per cent.

Nambale recorded 16.0 per cent, Matayos 15.1 per cent, Teso South 14.6 per cent, and Teso North 13.7 per cent.

Dr Ambuchi said areas recording high rates required targeted interventions, including community awareness, youth-friendly services and sustained engagement with adolescents and young mothers.

“We must make sure that adolescents receive the right information at the right time and can access reproductive health services without barriers,” she said.

The county government, together with implementing partners, is also focusing on empowering young people to make informed decisions about their reproductive health and future.

The World Contraception Day event brought together partners including TIKO, Y-PLUS, Mildmay International and KMET, who joined the county in promoting reproductive health awareness and supporting programmes aimed at reducing adolescent pregnancies.