The US government’s decision to destroy more than $9.7 million worth of contraceptives is triggering global outrage – and leaving an estimated 1.4 million women and girls in five African countries without access to lifesaving reproductive care.
The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) says the move will likely cause 174,000 unintended pregnancies and 56,000 unsafe abortions across the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Mali.
According to IPPF, the contraceptives – many not set to expire until 2027–2029 – were already manufactured, packaged, and ready to ship. The NGO even offered to take them for free and handle redistribution at no cost to US taxpayers, but Washington refused. Instead, the stockpile will be incinerated, reportedly in France, despite calls from women’s rights groups to halt the destruction.
Marie Evelyne Petrus-Barry, IPPF’s Africa regional director, slammed the decision as “appalling and extremely wasteful,” pointing out that many of the supplies were part of humanitarian responses, especially in crisis-hit areas like the DRC. She said denying these commodities to countries already struggling with limited reproductive healthcare was “unjustifiable.”
The numbers are staggering. In Tanzania, the loss of more than 1 million injectable contraceptives and 365,100 implants will wipe out 28% of the country’s annual supply. Dr. Bakari, a project coordinator at Umati, IPPF’s local partner, said USAID funding cuts had already created severe shortages – and the destruction of this stock will only make it worse, limiting women’s family planning options.
In Mali, women will miss out on 1.2 million oral contraceptives and 95,800 implants – nearly a quarter of the nation’s yearly need. Zambia loses 48,400 implants and 295,000 injectables. Kenya will see 108,000 women lose access to implants at a time when long-term contraceptive stockpiles have already run dry.
Nelly Munyasia, executive director of the Reproductive Health Network in Kenya, warned that the consequences will be “drastic.” She says there’s already a 46% funding gap in Kenya’s family planning program, unsafe abortions are among the top five causes of maternal death, and nearly one in five teenage girls is pregnant or has given birth. Despite the Kenyan constitution allowing abortion when a woman’s life or health is at risk, a colonial-era penal code still criminalizes the procedure, leaving healthcare workers hesitant to act even in emergencies. Without contraceptive access, maternal mortality could rise sharply.
The US State Department confirmed last month that the destruction decision was final. Officials claimed they couldn’t find any “eligible buyers” due to laws barring aid to organizations that provide, counsel, or advocate for abortion rights overseas. French officials said they are “following the situation closely” as public backlash grows.
For reproductive rights advocates, the choice to burn millions of dollars in perfectly usable contraceptives – in the middle of global supply shortages and humanitarian crises – is a political decision with devastating human consequences. As Munyasia put it, “These systemic setbacks come at a time when unmet need for contraception remains high. Women and girls will pay the price.”
Leo Cruz brings sharp insights into the world of politics, offering balanced reporting and analysis on the latest policies, elections, and global political events. With years of experience covering campaigns and interviewing world leaders, Leo ensures readers are always informed and engaged.
