UNFPA calls for family planning in lockdown

The United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) has urged Ugandans to practice planned sex to avoid unwanted pregnancies during the lockdown.

While receiving a Shs2.5b cash donation from the Royal Danish Embassy on Thursday, Mr Alain Sibenaler, the UNFPA country representative, said even before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the country was facing a 30 per cent unmet need for family planning methods and the lockdown has denied many Ugandans access to the methods and facilities.

“In and around Kampala, we are using Safe Boda to deliver contraceptives. Outside Kampala, we have started giving fuel and cash vouchers in health centre IIIs so that district officials can pick and transport pregnant mothers to access family planning services and deliver from health centres,” Mr Sibenaler said.

Mr Sibenaler added that pregnant women who need antenatal care are not sure whether it is safe to go to health centres and those in abusive relationships are trapped in homes.

He said it is important for health centres to screen and test pregnant women with symptoms of Covid-19 disease and those who test positive should be isolated and given specialised attention to save both the mother and unborn babies.

While handing over the donation, Mr Nicolaj Hejberg Petersen, the Danish Ambassador to Uganda, said the additional grant is to enable UNFPA to continue providing some of its critical sexual and reproductive health services that have been challenged by Covid-19 crisis and can be done in a safer and more protective way.

“We read reports of health officers fearing to go to health centres or seeing patients because they do not have protective gears. Women have delivered their babies at home or on the way to hospital because there is no transport,” he said.

The donation will support sexual and reproductive health and rights programming in northern region and West Nile. It will also bridge some of the gaps in 10 selected districts.

[email protected]