The Gates Foundation is rolling out a new contraceptive in several African countries, including Kenya, that will prevent pregnancy for an unprecedented eight years. This new hormonal IUD contraceptive is the first of its kind in the world, offering a long-acting, reversible solution that is both affordable and user-friendly.
According to Anita Zaidi, President of the Gates Foundation’s Gender Equality Division, this groundbreaking contraceptive is being launched in Kenya, Nigeria, and India. The hormonal IUD works by releasing progestin, a synthetic hormone that thickens cervical mucus, thereby preventing sperm from reaching and fertilizing an egg. This innovative approach offers women a convenient and effective method of family planning, giving them greater control over their reproductive health and future.
This initiative is part of a much larger and more ambitious commitment from the Gates Foundation: a $2.5 billion investment dedicated to research and development focused exclusively on women’s health in low- and middle-income countries. The commitment is a strategic effort to address five key priority areas: improving maternal health, understanding gut health and nutrition, improving gynecological and menstrual health, expanding contraceptive options, and addressing sexually transmitted infections in women.
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The foundation is not stopping with the new 8-year IUD. It is also expanding the rollout of DMPA-SC, a self-injectable contraceptive, to more than 35 countries globally, including eight in Africa. This array of new contraceptive options reflects the foundation’s broader mission, which, according to Zaidi, is to build on its "25-year legacy of work in maternal and child health." The ultimate goal is to help end preventable deaths of mothers and babies, ensure the next generation grows up free from deadly infectious diseases, and lift millions out of poverty by 2045.
The introduction of these new contraceptives comes at a time when modern contraceptive use in Kenya has grown significantly. The World Health Organization (WHO) has noted that various options, including pills, injections, and implants, have been widely adopted across the country. Just a few months ago, the Ministry of Health confirmed the receipt of over 186,000 contraceptive commodities, funded by the United Kingdom and procured through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). This demonstrates a strong national commitment to expanding access to family planning.
