Today is World’s Contraceptives Day, but health officials are faced with challenges in pushing for the Voluntary Surgical Contraception(vasectomy) procedure among men as it emerges, women are against the procedure.

The health officials have noticed an unusual trend in women who are opposed to the method of family planning as they are not for the idea that their husbands should go for the procedure.

Vasectomy is a form of male birth control that cuts the supply of sperms to the semen. It is done by cutting and sealing the tubes that carry sperm.

The Ministry of Health is currently in Nakuru ,conducting a strategic workshop to finalize the multi-Hazard Preparedness and response plan and its advocating for the the procedure as the world celebrates World Contraceptives Day.

Mr. Mohammed Hambulle who is an health official at the ministry, said that the alleged women instead opted to go for Bilateral Tubal Ligation, a surgical procedure that involves blocking the fallopian tubes to prevent the ovum (egg) from being fertilized.

“We have just learnt that the majority of women are not supporting the idea of their men undergoing vasectomy and instead chose to undergo the BTL procedure themselves,” said Mr Hambul.

The Economic Survey Report 2023 released in May shows that 557 men underwent vasectomy in 2022 an increase from 2021 where only 248 men underwent the procedure.

The survey further shows that 334 men underwent vasectomy in 2020, 658 in 2019 and 646 in 2018. Mr. Hambulle regretted that the trend of women going for Bilateral Tubal Litigation is among the reasons why Vasectomy procedure is sluggish.

According to him, vasectomy, compared to other family planning methods has an insignificant achievement. The Nakuru County Director of medical services. Dr. Daniel Wainaina said the county had formed a group of different stakeholders to push for the agenda and to demystify the misconceptions about the matter. The aim would be to bring more men to take up the procedure.