US President Donald Trump’s administration has cracked the whip on one of Kenya’s longest-established family planning clinic by cutting its donor funding.
Family Health Options Kenya (FHOK) is grappling with US funding cuts of upto 60 per cent-Sh200 million ($2 million), which was effected after it defied the administration’s policy that forbids the health provider from offering information or services related to abortion.
According to Washington-based National Public Radio (NPR), it reported on Wednesday that the family planning clinic has already shutdown one of its 14 clinics in the country while services in the rest of the clinics are curtailed.
The effects of the cut funding are biting hard as FHOK reproductive health nurse Melvine Ouyo told NPR.
Ouyo said pregnant women are resorting to unsafe measures to terminate unwanted pregnancies which he described as “curtain clinics” run by unqualified doctors and nurses. The situation is dire as some use crochet needles to terminate the unwanted pregnancies.
A case in point of the help FHOK provides, the nurse told the US radio, they have handled a case of a 13-year old orphan who was repeatedly raped by her uncle and she fell pregnant.
She tried all archaic means to terminate the incestuous pregnancy including taking herbs but it could not work.
“This girl comes to you suicidal. She had already attempted unsafe abortion. She had taken herbs given by friends. Her friends referred her to us, and she was able to access safe abortion services.”
With $ 2 million cut, FHOK may not be able to offer any other services unrelated to abortion.
The family clinic has been offering HIV treatments, cancer screenings, post-natal care and vaccinations.
Those who largely affected are young women from poor backgrounds who looked up to FHOK clinics for help on the various services they offered.