Adherence of healthcare practitioners to the adolescent reproductive health and development policy at The Garissa Provincial General Hospital, Kenya

Abstract

Background: Kenya’s policies relating to population, family planning (FP) and reproductive health (RH) receive weak/fluctuating levels of adherence. The Adolescent Reproductive Health and Development (ARH&D) policy gives directives and actions to follow in meeting identified ends and goals in the reproductive and developmental needs of the youth- majority of Kenya’s population (Ministry of Health-Youth Friendly Services (MOH-YFS), National Coordination Agency for Population and Development (NCAPD), 2011). Objective: To evaluate adherence of healthcare practitioners (HCPs) to the Adolescent Reproductive Health and Development (ARH&D) policy at the Garissa Provincial General Hospital, Kenya (GPGH). Design: A cross sectional study. Setting: Garissa Provincial General Hospital, Kenya. Subjects: Comprised of 172 Healthcare practitioners (HCPs), including 88 nurses, 14 doctors and 17 clinical officers (COs) and 53 adolescent clients. Results: The HCP policy utilisation rate of the ARH&D which was 62.2% was influenced by religious affiliation, age, frequency of supervision. Adolescent client satisfaction level was about 34%. Severity of infibulations has reduced in severity among the Somali people. Consanguineous marriages of under-age girls, drug addiction, poverty, HIV and AIDS and FP stigmatisation are still high in North Eastern Province. Conclusion: Adherence to the ARH&D policy was about 62% at the GPGH. There was no ideal set up for YFS. The adolescent satisfaction low was at about 34%. Infibulation has reduced. There were shortcomings with the HCP characteristics, facility deficits, and service management hurdles.