Barriers to Access to Reproductive Health Services among Nomadic Communities in Kenya

Anne Khasakhala, University of Nairobi

This paper employs qualitative and quantitative methodologies to explore factors that contribute to barriers to access to reproductive health services such as Family planning, Maternal health care services (antenatal care, delivery services, attendance at delivery and child care services) among nomadic communities in Kenya. The study is based on findings from a survey carried out by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Kenya Country office at the time of severe drought of 2000 as well as insecurity in some areas which led to some of these populations being displaced . The findings indicate that cultural, language differences; knowledge, attitudes/ beliefs and traditional practices, attitudes of and treatment by health providers; lack of money (or assets, in other words, livestock) to pay for services and drugs; distance to health facilities and lack of money to pay for transport were the main barriers to access to reproductive health services. Further, as a result of the displacement, the communities lost their main source of livelihood (i.e., livestock) and could not also adapt to the traditional coping mechanisms. This in turn impacted on family relationship in ways that affected gender relations and couples’ ability to space children, contraceptive use and protect themselves from STIs, including HIV/AIDS, and gender based violence.