Kenya Health Officials Learn from Nasarawa’s Family Planning Model Under SFH’s IntegratE Project

 

The Kenyan Ministry of Health has embarked on a study visit to Nasarawa State, recognizing it as a model in the successful implementation of the Task Shifting and Task Sharing (TSTS) policy.

 The visit aims to gain firsthand insight into how Nasarawa has integrated Community Pharmacists (CPs) and Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) into the provision of implants and injectable contraceptive services, thereby expanding access to family planning.

Held on January 29, 2025, the study tour was organized under the IntegratE Project, which is implemented by the Society for Family Health (SFH). It facilitated engagements between Kenyan health officials and key stakeholders in Nasarawa’s health sector. 

Discussions focused on the policy framework, training mechanisms, and regulatory structures that enable CPs and PPMVs to safely administer long-acting contraceptive methods. Kenya’s interest in this approach stems from its commitment to improving contraceptive access, with its Modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (MCPR) currently at 57%.

During the visit, the Permanent Secretary of the Nasarawa State Ministry of Health, Dr. John Damina, commended SFH and the IntegratE Project for their role in ensuring wider access to reproductive health services. He reaffirmed the government’s dedication to supporting initiatives that enhance family planning coverage and reduce maternal mortality. Similarly, Salome Aya, the State’s Reproductive and Family Planning Coordinator, highlighted that over 60,000 women in Nasarawa have benefited from family planning services provided through both public and private healthcare facilities

Representing SFH, Pharm Michael Alagbile emphasized that the IntegratE Project has played a vital role in bridging healthcare gaps by empowering CPs and PPMVs to deliver safe, high-quality family planning services, even in hard-to-reach communities. He expressed confidence that Kenya’s experience in Nasarawa would serve as a catalyst for similar interventions in its own healthcare system.