Women leaders from Kisii County have expressed concern over the high rate of young females using emergency contraceptive pills and have called for abstinence from these medications to avoid potential harm to their bodies.
Led by Dr July Nyanchama, an expert in family planning, it was noted that records from pharmacists and chemist shops indicate that many secondary and university students purchase and use these pills daily to prevent pregnancy.
“This misuse of contraceptive pills for self-protection can lead to significant side effects unless users adhere to medical guidelines,” she stated.
Dr Nyanchama explained that emergency contraceptive pills are intended to be taken within 72 hours after engaging in sexual activity; using them outside of this window renders them ineffective.
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She emphasized that these pills should only be used by couples for birth control purposes and questioned why there is a rising trend of high usage among schoolgirls.
She attributed this to a decline in the practice of sexual chastity among youth. She cautioned unmarried female youths against daily use of these pills, warning that it could lead to infertility later in life.
“Careless use of these pills can result in permanent barrenness as they can affect reproductive health,” she said.
Esnas Nyambaabaa, of the Young Women Democrats, urged female teachers to take the lead in educating teenage girls on how to conduct themselves morally to prevent teenage pregnancies and other sexually transmitted diseases.
“Female teachers are mothers too. I appeal to them to use their professional influence to inform and educate our young girls about the dangers of sexual promiscuity,” she stated. Nyambaabaa also praised Kisii County Senator Okenyuri for his efforts to promote the education of girls by visiting schools to meet with students and share success stories.
She suggested that effective messages are best received through practical examples and encouraged other leaders to take initiative, like Senator Okenyuri, in order to help schoolgirls avoid early and unwanted pregnancies.
By Enock Okong’o
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