HOW FAMILY PLANNING HELPS WOMEN PLAN THEIR FAMILIES
By Maryam Nassor
“When I got pregnant for the first time, I suffered a lot
because my husband ran away after finding out I was pregnant. I went through
the pregnancy alone until I gave birth safely. Now, I am moving on with my
life,” says Salama Bakari (not her real name), a 22-year-old resident of Donge
in North Unguja.
Salama, who earns a living by selling vegetables
door-to-door, says she currently lives with her husband, Mussa Juma (not his
real name), and their two children—one aged six and the other two.
Speaking to this writer about the importance of family
planning, Salama says that after the difficulties she faced with her first
child, a neighbor advised her to consider family planning methods.
"After my neighbor’s advice, I decided to visit a
health center to get more education and counseling on the matter."
“Honestly, when I got to the health center, the nurse
explained to me various short- and long-term family planning methods. I decided
to use the implant based on my age and health condition.”
She says her second child is now two years old and she
continues to use family planning because of her economic situation—she doesn’t
want more children than she can care for.
“Many people in the community believe that family planning
causes infertility in women, but the truth is that it doesn’t—unless the
methods are used incorrectly or without professional guidance,” says Salama.
She testifies that she has been using family planning
methods for nearly two years without any problems.
“When I started using the method, I was advised to avoid
heavy work. I’ve had no issues—my menstrual cycle is normal. It’s been two
years now,” she says.
She adds that the reason she opted for family planning is
because of her living conditions—she is the one supporting the family, and her
husband does not provide any financial assistance.
Safia Hamza, a nurse at Mahonda Health Center in North B
District, Unguja, says family planning methods are safe and do not cause any
health problems.
She states that research shows family planning can prevent
over 80% of maternal and child deaths related to childbirth.
She adds that many people come to the center for family
planning education, and each woman is given the freedom to choose the method
that suits her.
“There’s a good response these days. Every month, we
receive over 500 women seeking to begin family planning,” says the nurse.
The 2006 National Population Policy recognizes
the need to educate women about the benefits of family planning.
The 2007 National Health Policy emphasizes
the government's commitment—alongside non-profit private sectors and
development organizations—to continue offering free health services to pregnant
women, family planning users, and children under five.
The 2022 State of World Population Report,
released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), states that nearly half
of all pregnancies worldwide—about 121 million annually—are unintended.
Titled “Seeing the Unseen: The Case for Action in
the Neglected Crisis of Unintended Pregnancy,” the report was launched
in New York and highlights the high number of women and girls affected by
unintended pregnancies.
It states that reproductive choices—whether or not to
become pregnant—are often not in the hands of the women themselves.
“This report should be a wake-up call. The large number of
unintended pregnancies signals a global failure to uphold the fundamental
rights of women and girls,” says UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem.
However, no country has fully succeeded in ensuring
universal access to family planning services. Many women still face barriers to
making their own reproductive decisions.
This means that millions of people have either more or
fewer children than they desire, affecting not only individuals but also
families, institutions, labor markets, and nations as a whole.
The Zanzibar Ministry of Health has stated
its commitment to strengthening family planning services across the country to
reduce maternal and child mortality.
This was stated by Abdullatif Khatibu Haji,
Director of Planning, Policy, and Research at the Ministry of Health in
Zanzibar, while opening a stakeholder meeting on family planning held at the
Ministry's offices in Vuga, Stone Town.
He said that the Revolutionary Government of
Zanzibar, through the Ministry of Health, continues to make various efforts
to improve maternal and child health, including promoting family planning.
“To improve family planning services, the Ministry will
ensure a supportive environment at service delivery points, especially in
health centers in both Unguja and Pemba,” said the Director.
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