Kakamega County launches campaign against teen pregnancies, HIV infections and SGBV

Kakamega County government has launched a campaign to combat rising cases of teenage pregnancies, HIV infections and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). [Courtesy]

The Kakamega County government has launched a campaign dubbed the Triple Threat Campaign to combat rising cases of teenage pregnancies, HIV infections and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Launched in Shinyalu Sub-County, it seeks to reduce the three major health and social challenges affecting young people through awareness, access to quality health services, education and community partnerships.

The initiative has brought together learners, health professionals, education stakeholders, county leaders, faith-based organisations and development partners in a coordinated effort to equip adolescents aged between 10 and 24 years with the knowledge and support needed to make informed life choices.

"This is not a one-day event but the beginning of a sustained campaign to empower our adolescents with knowledge and improve access to quality healthcare services. Young people are our future and our greatest strength, and we have a collective responsibility to protect them," said Kakamega County Executive Committee Member for Health Services Dr Livingstone Imbayi, who represented First Lady Prof. Janet Kassily Barasa, the patron of the campaign.

Dr Imbayi said the county continues to grapple with alarming adolescent reproductive health indicators, revealing that 22 per cent of all mothers who attended antenatal clinics in Kakamega last year were adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years.

He added that the county also recorded 1,900 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, the majority of whom were adolescents and young people.

"These statistics remind us that we must continue prioritising prevention through partnerships, gender mainstreaming, community awareness and capacity building alongside our partners and civil society organisations," he said.

Health experts say the Triple Threat Campaign adopts a multi-sectoral approach by bringing together the health, education and community sectors to address the interconnected challenges of teenage pregnancies, HIV infections and gender-based violence, which continue to threaten the wellbeing and future of many adolescents.

The launch began with a safeguarding debrief and a Participatory Action for Adolescents (PAA) film screening before participants engaged in discussions on adolescent sexual and reproductive health, responsible behaviour and the social pressures exposing young people to risky practices.

County Executive Committee Member for Education Dr Bernard Amwayi said the partnership between the county's health and education departments was key to raising a healthy and productive generation.

"Our partnership demonstrates that adolescent health is everyone's responsibility. We must continue working together to nurture a healthy, informed and productive generation," said Dr Amwayi.

He said the county government had also created opportunities for young people who failed to complete formal education by enrolling them in county polytechnics where they can acquire vocational skills and rebuild their future.

"Every adolescent girl and boy should abstain from risky sexual behaviour. Your voice matters; your dreams matter, and your future is everything. Protect it by making the right choices today," he urged.

The campaign will now move to Malava Constituency, where more adolescents are expected to benefit from health education, counselling and youth-friendly health services before it is rolled out across all the 12 constituencies in Kakamega County.

In a move aimed at strengthening community-based interventions, the county government of Kakamega has also entered into a partnership with the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), Butere Diocese, to tackle teenage pregnancies and other triple-threat challenges affecting adolescents in Butere and Khwisero sub-counties.

Speaking during a consultative meeting with church leaders, Dr Imbayi said Governor Fernandes Barasa's administration remains committed to strategic partnerships that improve health service delivery and the wellbeing of residents.

He noted that the county has already enacted key policy and legal frameworks, including the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Policy and the SGBV Act, to strengthen prevention and response mechanisms against gender-based violence while supporting efforts to reduce teenage pregnancies and new HIV infections.

"We appreciate the Church's commitment to community engagement and health promotion. Such collaborations are critical in sensitising communities and improving access to health services," said Dr Imbayi.

Representing ACK Butere Diocese, Bishop Rt Rev. Rose Okeno and Canon Peter Andere said the church, with support from Episcopal Relief & Development, will implement a three-year intervention programme dubbed Linda Msichani.

"The Linda Msichani Programme will focus on advocacy, community engagement, empowerment initiatives, social support systems and rescue services for vulnerable adolescents. We believe that by working together with the county government and communities, we can significantly reduce teenage pregnancies and protect the future of our young people," said Canon Andere.

He said the programme will initially be implemented in Butere and Khwisero subcounties before being expanded to other parts of Kakamega County, complementing the county government's broader strategy of protecting adolescents from the triple threat of teenage pregnancies, HIV infections and gender-based violence.