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Govt pledges support to family planning plans
2008-05-03 09:31:07
By Guardian reporter
The government is committed to giving priority to family planning programmes to reduce child and maternal mortality.
Ministry of Health and Social Welfare permanent secretary Wilson Mkama revealed this yesterday in Mbeya at the launch of a family planning campaign being implemented by Acquire organization.
In his speech, read on his behalf by Dr. Edwin Mung'ong'o, the ministry`s assistant director responsible for regional, districts and private hospitals, Mkama said the government would support family planning programmes as it does those pertaining to HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis.
``The government is ready to support this programme on family planning because it is as useful as other health programmes,`` he said.
A five-year programme which is jointly carried out by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, USAID and a non-governmental organization, Engenderhearth, will educate people on the use of temporary and permanent family planning methods.
He identified some of the family planning methods as implants which last for three years and loop, which takes twelve years.
Mkama said that strengthening reproductive health services, specifically in family planning programme was among the objectives of Acquire Programme aimed at reducing child and maternal death.
``If people in different levels will get correct information and be sensitized on family planning methods, I am sure that this programme will reach its goal of reducing unnecessary deaths,`` Mkama said.
He added that health attendants are also supposed to be in forefront to educate people and ensure that working facilities and pills are available to people.
"When I speak about family planning I don`t mean that people should have one or two kids, but I mean that there should be a proper system of having babies in order to give a chance for a baby to grow before the next one comes" concluded Mkama.
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