By Masongole Faith
Village Health Teams (VHT) in the Bukedi Sub-region have begun to educate locals about family planning in order to improve their well-being.
A family in Butaleja has about ten children on average, contributing to the high poverty rates.
The VHTs are tasked with encouraging locals to use family planning methods.
An incentive is given to a VHT member after they encourage a person to embrace family planning under a non-profit organization called Reproductive Health Uganda. The program, “breaking barriers to access family planning” is supported by the Bergstrom Foundation.
A VHT member receives a different amount for each short-term family planning method referred, while the member receives another amount of money for each permanent and long-term method referred.
Family planning is a practice that assists couples and individuals in deciding whether or not to have children.
According to Ms. Betty Isiko, Project Coordinator at Reproductive Health Uganda, thousands of locals have enrolled in the three-year program.
“We have managed to reach young women and men with a total of 2,590 for short methods and 23,163 for long-acting reversible contraceptive methods for family planning.” “Another 426 are on permanent methods,” she said.
VHTs provide counseling services and also enroll more users in family planning methods.
“In Bukedi region, unplanned pregnancies are higher among younger schoolgirls than among married women; we have 50 to 54 percent of women having unplanned births in health centers due to unplanned pregnancies,” Butaleja District health officer Mr. Stephen Nakweyi said. Butaleja District Chairperson Mr. Michael Higenyi praised the program, saying that many families are struggling to meet the needs of their dependents.
“Butaleja’s poverty is the result of a failure to embrace family planning.” People don’t have enough provision for their families, yet they are continuing to have more children,” he said.
Ms. Scovia Atim, a VHT member attached to Kwapa Health Centre III, said she has introduced about 500 locals to family planning.
Ms. Esther Namusisi, another VHT member attached to Busitema Health Centre III, said the program has led to a reduction in child marriages and teenage pregnancies.
“Many young children have been enrolled in family planning methods, and this has kept them free from unwanted pregnancies, hence making them stay at school,” she said.
“The program has also reduced domestic violence in homes,” she adds.
“The men used to beat their wives for using family planning, but they have since been sensitized and recognize the value of family planning.”
According to a 2017 Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) report, Busoga and Bukedi were the poorest regions in the country, with the number of poor people in rural areas rising to 10 million from 6.7 million in 2013.