Indicators of sexual and reproductive health in three Kenyan counties returned to near-normal levels after declining for several months early in the pandemic, according to AKU researchers, who said the finding demonstrates the resilience of the country’s health system.
The researchers analyzed health facility data from Nairobi, Mombasa and Kilifi counties collected by the Ministry of Health. They also interviewed 65 health workers and government officials and conducted 33 focus group discussions with community members and leaders in an effort to better understand the trends their data analysis uncovered. The study concluded in June 2021.
Yet the news was not all good. Researchers flagged a worrying number of cases of sexual and gender based violence during the 10 months starting in June 2020, especially in Nairobi County. There, the number of individuals seeking help at health care facilities for such violence in March 2021 was by far the highest in any month dating back to January 2018.
Most interviewees attributed the increase to the stresses associated with the pandemic and to families being trapped at home. Researchers hypothesized that the increase in violence may have been even larger than the data indicates, considering that some victims were likely unable to seek care due to curfews and other restrictions, or were unwilling to do so because they feared being exposed to the virus while visiting a health facility.
“Our goal was to provide evidence that can help government and society to address the unintended consequences of pandemic mitigation measures such as stay-at-home orders,” said Professor Marleen Temmerman, Director of AKU’s Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health, East Africa and the study’s principal investigator. “An increase in sexual and gender-based violence is one such consequence.”
The study assessed data on family planning, pregnancy care and outcomes, the number of women delivering in health facilities, antenatal and postnatal care, HIV care and adolescent sexual and reproductive health. The data did not make it clear if, as researchers had hypothesized, the pandemic has resulted in a baby boom, or what its impact on maternal and newborn mortality has been. The study did find that the number of adolescents and young people accessing contraceptives declined and did not rebound. Researchers said that could be because the closure of schools, youth organizations and clinics serving young people reduced access to information and family planning services.