MSI Reproductive Choices Kenya Marks 40 Years of Advancing Reproductive Health

Reporting by James Mutua

MSI Reproductive Choices Kenya is marking 40 years of advancing reproductive health in the country, with its leadership calling for urgent policy reforms, increased domestic funding, and the removal of barriers that limit access for adolescents and underserved communities.

Speaking during a media breakfast ahead of the official anniversary celebrations later this week, Country Director Dr. Walter Obita reflected on the organisation’s journey since 1985 and highlighted its impact.

“Our vision has always been a Kenya where every individual has the right and ability to decide if, when, and how to have children,” Dr. Obita said. “In 2024 alone, we averted 528,000 unintended pregnancies, prevented 1,500 maternal deaths, and served over 763,000 clients.”

From its beginnings as a single clinic in Nairobi, MSI Kenya has grown into a nationwide network of 16 clinics, a maternity hospital, more than 260 public hospital partnerships, mobile outreach teams, and collaborations with over 60 private clinics.

The organisation has pioneered innovations such as telemedicine and expanded access to permanent contraceptive methods, including vasectomy and bilateral tubal ligation.

Dr. Obita raised concerns over Kenya’s restrictive abortion laws, which he said push many women toward unsafe procedures that often result in severe complications or death.

He cited recent data showing that about 51% of pregnancies in Kenya are unintended, with a significant share ending in unsafe abortions.

To reduce maternal deaths linked to unsafe abortions, he emphasised the need for policy and regulatory reforms to guarantee safe and legal services, the provision of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education for all—including adolescents, adults, and healthcare providers—and greater access to contraception to prevent unintended pregnancies.

With donor funding declining, particularly after the withdrawal of USAID support, Dr. Obita called for increased domestic resource mobilisation to sustain reproductive health services.

“We urge the Government of Kenya to increase domestic funding for contraceptives and remove policy barriers that hinder young people from accessing services,” he said.

The MSI Kenya director also spoke about deep-rooted myths and cultural beliefs that continue to hinder progress.

These include fears that long-term contraceptives cause infertility, misconceptions that vasectomy affects male libido, and the belief that educating adolescents about reproductive health encourages promiscuity.

He stressed that such misconceptions, combined with cultural opposition to modern contraception, continue to limit access and uptake.

As it enters its fifth decade, MSI Kenya plans to strengthen partnerships, expand innovative service delivery models, and deepen community outreach.

“Every Kenyan deserves the right to choose if, when, and how to have children,” Dr. Obita said. “We will continue to transform lives, one choice at a time.”