EXCLUSIVE: Kenya’s contraceptives crisis

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Kenya has completely run out of family planning commodities, raising fears about increased unintended pregnancies and HIV infections in the country that the contraceptives prevent.

The shortage comes as international donors like USAID, who had funded Kenya’s family planning programme in its entirety, pulled out of the country last year, and the Treasury has not allocated any money to purchase the commodities. The stockouts and the government’s slow response could lead to increased HIV infections, teenage pregnancies, and maternal deaths.

A stock inventory from the Ministry of Health, obtained by Defrontera, revealed that there were no oral contraceptives taken daily, those injected for long-term use, or even condoms, as far back as October last year. The report said that in early January this year, the ministry reported that the country had depleted its stock of all family planning commodities.

Defrontera reviewed the document, which laid bare the contraceptives crisis and called it “severe”, leaving fewer contraceptive options for Kenyans, and threatening to reduce the rates of uptake of family planning in the country.

Family planning is one of the ways to reduce deaths during childbirth and unsafe abortions. Apart from creating space for women’s bodies to heal after childbirth, the World Health Organization research showed that women who use contraceptives are 30% less likely to experience pregnancies with life-threatening complications. Additionally, the research noted that contraceptives protect against ovarian and endometrial cancers. Yet, 14% of married women who do not want any more children or wish to delay childbearing do not have access to family planning.

Condoms, one of the most common methods of preventing sexually transmitted infections, are in short supply. Kenya had 596,295 pieces of male condoms by 30 September 2025. With an average monthly consumption rate of 107,173 pieces, this stock would have only been sufficient to cover the needs of the country beyond March. However, a spike in usage in December increased consumption and emptied shelves faster than initially projected, in the face of new HIV infections. Last year, Kenya recorded more than 20,000 new HIV infections, half of which were in eight counties: Nairobi, Migori, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Busia, Siaya, Kakamega, and Nakuru.

The country has a national policy which dictates that it should stock commodities to last for an average of one year and seven months. However, the country is perpetually at the mercy of politics in the reproductive health world due to its reliance on external funding, advocates say. Earlier this month, the US withdrew from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the biggest funder of contraceptives in the country since USAID’s departure.

Top ministry officials remained tight-lipped on when the ministry expects to receive the next refill, amid the gloom and dread of widespread funding cuts. Dr Edward Serem, who heads Kenya’s Division of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH), did not respond to Defrontera’s questions on what the way forward would be.

None of the health executives in the counties — not even the eight directly supported by UNFPA: Turkana, Bungoma, Nairobi, Narok, Isiolo, Baringo, Garissa, and Kwale — were aware of the changes at UNFPA, the remaining partner supporting family planning in Kenya.

Turkana’s Reproductive Health and Maternal Programme Officer, Gabriel Lokuwam, told Defrontera that the county placed an order for commodities with the national government in December 2025. Mr Lokuwam said Turkana is waiting for its consignment this month, but that only progestin-only pills and some implants would be available.

In Bungoma County, the Director for Health and Sanitation, Caleb Watta, said that he had not received any formal communication from UNFPA stating that “Bungoma had already put buffer systems in place to address possible stock-outs of health commodities.” Dr Watta did not explain what those buffer systems are.

Health experts have raised concerns about the low priority that family planning has in the national and county governments’ budget planning. As the country faces yet another crisis, it is unclear which of the two governments will resolve it. 

Additional reporting by Hesboun Etyang'.