KOT reacts to Health CS’s statement on denying teens contraceptives

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KOT reacts to Health CS’s statement on denying teens contraceptives

By Winnie Onyando February 20th, 2023 2 min read

Kenyans on Twitter have shared mixed reactions to the statement made by Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Susan Nakhumicha that she will not allow contraceptives to be issued to underage girls in Kenya.

While others support the statement, others have strongly condemned it saying it will lead to an increased number of teen pregnancies and HIV infections among the youth.

Also read: Pastor Kathy Kiuna opens up about being a teen mum

Others even urged the Health CS to reduce the price of pampers if she decides to deny contraceptives to the youth.

This comes just a few hours after the CS spoke to Nation reporter Leon Ligidu in an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing African Union Summit 2023 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The CS said that by virtue of her faith which teaches abstinence, she believes that young people should be taught to abstain.

“I am mama kanisa, we have to teach our adolescents to abstain. I believe that with a firm Christian foundation, they will learn to abstain,” the CS, a devoted Catholic, said.

According to the CS, the youths are not allowed to have sex before marriage because it goes against the Holy book.

Also read: Teenage mums risk dying during delivery

According to 1 Thessalonians 4:3, the Bible urges, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.

To the CS, the youths should embrace such scriptures.

Last week, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) executive director Winnie Byanyima who was in Kenya for a State visit, said that it is time Kenya allows teenagers to access contraceptives.

She highlighted that inequalities and injustices in our societies are driving up the HIV/Aids pandemic and making specific groups of people, such as young women and adolescent girls, highly vulnerable to HIV infection.

“Two out of three people living with HIV are women while in 2021, there were still 1.5 million new HIV infections around the world and 650,000 HIV/Aids-related death.”

Also read: Last moments: Teenager lured to his death by stranger

Here are some reactions:

🤪 knee jerk reaction, with or without contraception, they will carry on. The difference will be of without, as you so advocate, will be felt very soon after starting with STD's and teenage pregnancies will follow. And who will look bad??

— Alexander Sarikas (@AlexanderSarik4) February 19, 2023

This is the right move. Supporting teenage sex by offering contraceptives is not the right move. Educate them on abstinence and making the right choices. Remember, we are the parents and we dictate what goes. Let us stop rewarding bad behavior.

— Mwenyeji 🇰🇪 (@mwenyeji3) February 19, 2023

Do not do it suddenly as you know that the habits of having sex is common to the teens and some are addicted therefore try some ways in which youths will adapt to abstainence such as through educating them about effects of this contraceptives and meet your obligation completely.

— kijana mwerevu (@kastar_romanes) February 19, 2023

“ I am mama kanisa’, we have to teach our adolescents to abstain, I believe that with a firm christian foundation they will learn to abstain ,” the CS who is a devoted Catholic said. It's only Christians are the ones who are engaged in this business the minister claims 🤣🤣

— BinAbdille (@BinAbdille1) February 19, 2023

It is the duty of Parents, Elders & Teachers to teach children what is right & wrong. Children can’t be told to do a wrong thing but take precautions.. That is Wrong.

— Dormohamed Mohamed (@DormohamedM) February 19, 2023