The government and the private sector have been challenged to meet individual health needs of women and girls often overlooked in the society.
Glaring gaps in women and girls health across 44 counties namely Lack of Early diagnostics, information, financial resources were highlighted in a report by White Ribbon Alliance Kenya even as the govt strives to attain Universal Health Coverage
In her Lifetime report conducted through the ‘ask , listen, act’ approach covering close to 100,000 women and girls across the country White Ribbon Alliance Kenya founder Angela Nguku said the report speaks to the very needs demanded by the women to make health a priority not an option.
Speaking during the National Dissemination Forum that brought together women, girls, government leaders, partners, health workers, and communities Nguku said the report has outlined the very needs of women girls from infancy to menopause urged stakeholders to shape policies that make self care a priority to women health.
“There was a study done which showed that nine out of 10 Kenyan women who died died because of the poor quality of healthcare. So it got us thinking, what does quality healthcare look like to women themselves? And we went to them in the grassroots. They told us they want the policy makers and the government to understand their health needs. That is why we decided to do a study with voices of older women to young girls,” she said.
Women and girls described self-care in practical terms, such as bathing regularly, eating nutritious foods, and staying physically active.
“Even I often find myself carrying so many burdens that I forget myself. So, I have seen people forget themselves, so when I think about self-care, I find it necessary to get the information to the grassroots,” a Kwale woman said.
However, holistic self-care practices that include mental health and emotional well-being were less commonly mentioned
It also emerged that the self-care needs of Kenyan women and girls differ with age and social context, as adolescent girls were more likely to focus on physical appearance and body image while middle-aged women prioritised maintaining financial stability and work-life balance as forms of self-care.
The women called on policymakers to promote self-care as a right, not a taboo, prioritise maternal and newborn health to ensure women’s wellbeing, and expand Women’s and Girls’ health beyond reproduction.
“These findings should go a long way in improving the lives of Kenyan women. We like to think of it as a listening exercise as opposed to a survey, as we documented the voices of women as they explained them to us,” Reagun Odhiambo from White Ribbon said while launching the report in Nairobi on Thursday.
The government is implementing key initiatives include free maternity services, increased access to family planning, and strengthened primary healthcare systems.
These efforts have contributed to a decline in fertility rates, increased facility births, and greater use of modern family planning methods