NAIROBI, KENYA - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today that funding for family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) activities in Kenya would rise to $17.8 million in 2009. This announcement represents an increase of $7 million to USAID's family planning and reproductive health activities in Kenya from just two years ago.

The new funding supports the Government of Kenya's efforts to increase access to quality health care. The funds will help improve the health of women - both during and after their pregnancies - and continues and expands USAID's three decades of family planning assistance to Kenya.

"This new funding represents President Obama's commitment to improving access to vital health services for millions of Kenyans," noted Dr. Scott Radloff, the Director of USAID Washington's Office of Population and Reproductive Health. "His administration has followed this policy decision with a number of positive actions that will be felt in countries like Kenya. One out of every four Kenyan women wants to space or limit their births and are not using family planning services. The additional funds will make these services available to those women," Radloff said.

The funding for FP/RH activities will:

• enable women and couples to choose the number and spacing of births
• help reduce maternal and child mortality
• help reduce the transmission of HIV
• reduce abortions
• improve women's opportunities
• enable families to invest in their children and improve their well-being, and
• mitigate the impact of population growth on environment, economy, and state stability.

For more information about USAID and its Kenya's Maternal and Child Health programs, visit www.usaid.gov.