ZIMBABWE has averted more than 12 000 potential maternal deaths and almost a million unsafe abortions in the past five years owing to a high prevalence rate of family planning.
The estimate from FP2030 — which represents global family planning goals by 2030 — shows the country is on course to achieve set marks.
The modern contraceptive prevalence rate (MCPR) stands at 68 percent and Zimbabwe has earned praise as one of the few countries in Africa with such high rates of contraceptive use.
This came out during the launch of the 2022-2026 family planning strategy where the Government committed to increase the prevalence rate by 2030.
Besides the commended high prevalence rate, Zimbabwe has also reduced the fertility rate to 3,9 percent an indication that the Government has realised the association between family planning programmes and population development.
The strategic plan is targeting to reduce the unmet need for family planning from 10 percent in 2021 to 6,5 percent by 2026, reduce adolescent fertility from 108/1000 in 2019 to 93/1000 by 2026 and increase MCPR for all women from 46 to 54 percent by 2026.
“According to an analysis by the FP2030, in the last 5 years (between 2018 and 2022) the use of contraceptives has averted nearly 3,6 million unintended pregnancies, almost a million (918,000) unsafe abortions and 12,700 maternal deaths in Zimbabwe,” said UNFPA country representative for Zimbabwe Ms Gulnara Kadrykulova.
“These positive impacts can only be sustained and accelerated by ensuring contraceptive availability, affordability and use; and Government commitment and facilitation is key,” she said.
In his foreword to the launch, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga who is also Health and Child Care Minister said the Government aims to reduce adolescent birth and unmet need for family planning through commitments at all levels.
“We aim to reduce unwanted pregnancies, including teenage pregnancies and avoidable maternal and neonatal deaths. This will contribute to the well-being and development of the adolescents and youths, translating into national productivity and progress,” he said.
“We will also ensure access for all adolescents and young people regardless of, sex, colour, religion, creed, disability and geographic location to comprehensive and age-appropriate information, and remove barriers to access, availability and uptake of voluntary contraceptive services to adequately protect themselves from unintended pregnancies, gender-based violence, STIs and HIV/Aids.”
He said one of the goals of the strategy was to reduce teenage pregnancies from 21 percent to 12 percent by 2030.
Dr Chiwenga said the strategy will also reduce the unmet need for MCPR for adolescents from 12,6 percent to 8,5 percent by 2030.
The Zimbabwe National Family Planning Strategic Plan (2022-2026) has been developed to guide the nation in the provision of integrated quality family planning, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, and HIV/Aids services from 2022-2026 as well as resource mobilisation for effective programme implementation.
Five pillars for FP programming have been identified to address the problems and these are enabling environment; commodity security; integrated service delivery; demand creation, and research.
ZNFPC acting chairperson Dr Stanzia Moyo said family planning is an essential component in the fight against HIV infections in children.
She said increased access to and use of family planning has far-reaching benefits for families and the nation.
“Our aim is to leave no one behind in accessing family planning and sexual reproductive health services in Zimbabwe. We must therefore work together to ensure the health and wealth of our nation are preserved. By committing ourselves to the full financing and implementation of the Strategic Plan we can realise our goals,” she added. – The Chronicle
