Machapisho

Emergency Contraceptive

Picha
  By Sarah Eunice | Every Saturday, Hannah Kathomi , a 22-year-old university student in Nairobi, walks into a local pharmacy and asks for “the pill.” The pharmacist knows what she means — the morning-after pill , a common brand of emergency contraception (EC). It’s become part of her weekend ritual after unprotected sex, something she says is “easier than using regular contraception.”But experts warn that this casual reliance on EC — meant for emergencies, not regular use — is becoming an overlooked health issue in Kenya and across sub-Saharan Africa. “Emergency contraception was designed for occasional use — after a condom breaks or unprotected sex occurs — not as a regular birth control method,” says Dr. Esther Muia , a reproductive health specialist in Nairobi. “Frequent use can cause hormonal imbalance and menstrual irregularities, and it’s a sign of deeper gaps in sexual health education.” A Growing Trend in Sub-Saharan Africa According to the World Health Organization ...
Chapisha Maoni
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Unsafe Abortion

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  Global P erspective : Unsafe Abortion Persists Despite Legal Rights Photo/WHO According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2023), about 73 million abortions occur globally each year, and 45% of them are unsafe. The majority happen in developing countries where laws are restrictive or health systems lack resources. 97% of unsafe abortions occur in low- and middle-income countries. 13% of all maternal deaths worldwide — roughly 39,000 every year — are linked to unsafe abortions. In Africa, almost three out of every four abortions are unsafe. Kenya: When Law Meets Stigma In Kenya, the constitution permits abortion if the mother’s life or health is in danger, or if permitted by other written law. Yet the promise of safe care is often lost in translation.Furthermore,a   national survey by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) and the Ministry of Health found that in 2012 alone, about 464,690 induced abortions took ...
Chapisha Maoni
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Uaviaji Mimba

Picha
WHO/Picha Baina  ya Haki na Uhalisia: Vikwazo Vinavyo Changia Vifo vya Wanawake  Barani Afrika Kifo Kila Dakika 30 Kila dakika 30, mwanamke mmoja barani Afrika anakufa kutokana na matokeo ya utoaji mimba usio salama. Kulingana na watafiti vifo hivi   vinaweza kuzuilika kabisa . Ripoti mpya iliyozinduliwa katika Mkutano wa Kimataifa wa Mipango ya Uzazi (ICFP) mjini Bogotá — iitwayo “The Maze Women Face: Stuck Between Rights and Reality” — imefichua pengo kubwa kati ya haki zilizoandikwa kisheria na hali halisi inayowakabili wanawake na wasichana. Utafiti huo, unaoongozwa na Chuo Kikuu cha Rutgers na taasisi washirika za Afrika Magharibi na Kati, umeunganisha moja kwa moja matukio ya unyanyasaji wa kijinsia na utoaji mimba usio salama , na kufichua jinsi woga, unyanyapaa, na ukosefu wa huduma vinavyosukuma wanawake katika njia za hatari. “Tulikutana na wasichana waliobakwa na kujaribu kutoa mimba kwa kutumia dawa au miti shamba waliyonunua sokoni,” anasema Mena ...
Chapisha Maoni
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Global Health Leaders Rally in Bogotá to Tackle Reproductive Health Gaps

Picha
October 28, 2025 Next week, Bogotá, Colombia, will host the Seventh International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP 2025), the first time the event is held in Latin America. The global gathering comes at a critical moment — reproductive rights face threats worldwide, and a US $1.5 billion funding gap looms over family-planning programs. In Africa, these issues are particularly pressing. The World Health Organization (WHO) cautions that maternal mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa exceed the 2030 global target by more than five times, with millions of women still lacking access to modern contraceptive methods. UNFPA emphasizes that unsafe abortions, inadequate family-planning services, and reproductive tract infections continue to jeopardize the health of women and girls.   “Childbirth remains a significant risk for many women in Africa,” states Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Enhancing access to contraception and reproductive health services is essentia...
Chapisha Maoni
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