More Ugandans shunning family planning, say health workers

Senior Three and Four students of Ntare School carry their luggage as they return home yesterday. The students are said to have attacked their A-Level colleagues for stopping their revenge mission. PHOTO BY Rajab Mukombozi.  

By Flavia Lanyero

Kampala

Health workers have called for fresh campaigns to sensitise the masses to use family planning methods to reduce unwanted pregnancies.

The call follows worry over the increasing trend of several family planning methods being returned to the National Medical Stores because people are not demanding for them. According to Ms Sarah Nyombi, a board member of the National Medical Stores, several family planning methods are getting expired because people are not using them.

“We need to sensitise people about the services and where to get them. Family planning methods are in the facilities but the drugs are returned. The youth, especially need to be sensitised that they can have sex for pleasure and not get pregnant by using family planning methods,” Ms Nyombi said. She was speaking during a public dialogue on family planning, maternal health and service delivery organised by the Population Secretariat yesterday.

Risky exposure
Dr Olive Ssentumbwe from the World Health Organisation said there were so many unwanted pregnancies in the country leading to induced abortions, adolescent pregnancies, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and a high maternal and child mortality rates.

“For many women and men, having sex is the same as getting pregnant. This is sad because a person can enjoy sex without getting pregnant. Myths and misconceptions also need to be handled by going to the people and talking to them. We need high level support from government for new commitments to increase funding for the health sector,” Dr Ssentumbwe said.

Mr Harry Bainomugisha, a population champion in Mubende District, said there were still a lot of misconceptions about family planning which was leading to many shunning the methods.

The 2011 Uganda Demographic and Health survey shows that 43 per cent of family planning users discontinued using the method within 12 months of starting its use with discontinuing rates highest for pill users at 54 per cent and lowest for implant users at 12 per cent.