Health Cabinet Secretary Reports Kenyans Consume an Average of 17,000 Condoms on a Daily Basis
Written by moradio on 22 February 2024
NAIROBI, Kenya, February 22 – Health Secretary Susan Nakhumicha has disclosed that the National Aids Control Council has distributed 3,157,900 condoms in non-health settings over the past six months. However, this figure does not encompass condoms sold by private entities.
In a presentation to the Departmental Committee on Health regarding the State Department for Medical Services Budget Estimates for the Financial Year 2024-25, Nakhumicha reported that the National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCOP) served 1,207,482 clients on Antiretroviral Treatment. Additionally, she noted that 38.8 percent of women of reproductive age received family planning commodities through the Department of Family Health.
Addressing earlier reports of condom shortages in January 2023, Nakhumicha clarified that the country possessed a stock of 38 million condoms, dismissing any notion of scarcity. She attributed reported shortages in certain regions to distribution challenges from the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa), despite NACC’s efforts to provide distribution lists to Kemsa.
In her report, Nakhumicha underscored the State Department for Medical Services’ commitment to collaborating with Parliament and other stakeholders to ensure the delivery of high-quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare services to Kenyans. She emphasized the necessity of revising the budgetary ceiling to address funding constraints.
Furthermore, she highlighted the State Department’s priorities, including ensuring commodity security for family health and strategic health programs covering tuberculosis, malaria, family planning, HIV/AIDS, and nutrition. Nakhumicha emphasized the correlation between healthy citizens and economic growth, as a healthy population contributes to a more productive workforce.
