We are making great headway on our project run in collaboration with Mount Kenya Trust and Reproductive Health Network Kenya (RNHK), funded by a Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP) grant by the Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET).
By improving the confidence and practice of Healthcare Workers, the project is enhancing the quality of care offered to clients accessing Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health services in Meru County.
In a new phase of our project, which launched in January 2024, we have recently trained 20 Ministry of Health Trainers and Nurses in how to improve service delivery to the 45,000 adolescent patients the project aims to reach.
Challenges facing young people in Meru County:
Meru County has one of highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Kenya where 26% of pregnancies are among girls aged 10-19 years old.
Transactional sex is common, often to pay for basic hygienic products like menstrual pads.
Gender-based violence is common.
There are high rates of sexually transmitted diseases.
There is no Sexual and Reproductive Health education in schools despite government commitments.
Prior to our project, Health Workers did not have any training in Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health.
Targeted, accessible, and appropriate service provision is lacking, with young people reporting poor levels of care at public health facilities.
Pioneering training of Healthcare Providers
Dr John Nyamu, a national Trainer and Trainer for RHNK, led the training of the Trainers. The sessions were opened by Dr Koome Muthuri and closed by Dr Wahome, the Chief of Health for Meru County.
During the sessions, the attendees were also supported to develop a module for healthcare providers at the sub county level. The module is now being delivered to 60 Nurses over three weeks.
This initiative is one of the key interventions we are implementing to improve indicators on the overlapping challenge of new HIV infections, adolescent pregnancies, and sexual and gender-based violence among young people, known as the ‘Triple Threat’ in Meru County.
Mount Kenya Trust
We look forward to sharing more updates from this project soon.
60 Nurses, organised into three groups, attend the training being delivered by the recently trained Ministry of Health Trainers