Penda Health, a healthcare solutions provider, has partnered with Kasha Technologies to increase access to its contraceptive products via the Kasha digital platform.
The partnership comes in the wake of increased demand for contraceptives among sexually active women. Recent data from Guttmacher Institute show that unmet need for modern contraception in the country is higher among unmarried, sexually active adolescent women than among married adolescent women at 44% and 32% respectively as of 2019.
The agreement will see Kasha add long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) and select short-acting methods to their digital platform. The list includes IUDs, Implants, and injectables (both intramuscular injectable and DMPA-SC).
Besides listing the contraceptive products, Kasha will refer patients that order those methods on the platform to Penda Health medical centres for service provision.
Penda Health will support Kasha by providing contraceptive counselling to those individuals referred by Kasha and administer the patient’s desired method as eligible. The patients will pay the service fee as indicated by the Penda Health Medical Centres’s price list during their visit. Penda Health will also be responsible for ensuring that all services provided to Kasha users are compliant with clinical and medical regulations in Kenya.
Commenting on the new partnership, Penda Health Director of External Affairs Salome Mwaura said, “As part of our mission to offer all possible options for contraception, we saw it fit to offer a seamless path for patients to get the method, product and service they need and make them feel more ready to make an informed contraceptive choice. We have faith that Kasha will be able to point them to the right provider, Penda Health included.”
“Our vision is to provide access to health services, information and products to enable every woman to make the best health decisions for herself and her family. We are therefore delighted to be partnering with Penda health to extend our contraceptive offering and give women the opportunity to visit a trusted partner for additional in person services,” said Kasha Director of Partnerships, Patrick Russell.
In addition to the product listing, Kasha and Penda Health will also collaborate on sexual and reproductive health education sessions to be rolled out in-person and virtually. Kasha will coordinate the sessions with Penda Health who will avail health experts to share information or receive questions from Kasha users.