Statistics from last year’s population census show a high probability of Rwanda’s population doubling by early 2030s. The country is currently growing at 2.6 per cent per annum.Under many circumstances, this probability would be a welcome news for governments. A big population means endowment of labour resource, among other pros.However, the same statistics indicated that the population density (average number of people per unit of land area) is going higher, currently at 412 from 321 in the 2002 census. With the population threatening to overwhelm the country’s resources, government has taken to promoting family planning across the country.The Ministry of Health has laid out a target to have 70 per cent of the sexually-active population on various family planning methods by 2016.By September, this year, statistics from the ministry showed that 58 per cent  of the sexually-active population are using various family planning methods, including condoms, contraceptives, injections, implants and traditional methods, among others.This is a 54 per cent increase from 2000.To achieve this, the ministry has employed a range of strategies such as increasing healthcare facilities and availing free family planning kits."By now, every sector has at least a health facility. For large sectors, we conduct outreach services to the population,”  Thomas Nsengiyumva, the in-charge of family planning at the Ministry of Health, said. The ministry also ensures that the providers and staff working are trained for them to work with local communities."We are also considering collaborating with the Ministry of Education to integrate family planning in the curricula of higher learning institutions,” Nsengiyumva said.He said family planning methods such as pills and implants are availed at no cost by the ministry at public health facilities countrywide."We also have a memorandum of understanding with private sector to increase the penetration of the family planning tools and methodologies,” he added.Getting to religious leadersFamily planning has for long been a topic not up for negotiation with most religious organisations and groups but the ministry has also made attempts to engage the clergy."We are collaborating with religious authorities to see how we can work together according to their beliefs and at the same time respecting the principle of human rights and right to information. We are looking to have a common ground. We have  agreed we agree that the religious group and give prioritise and champion for family planning methods,” Nsengiyumva said.Currently, all family planning services have been integrated in the outpatient treatment in government facilities. This is also part of the strategies of the ministry to increase the penetration of family planning services."We have also been conducting advocacy campaigns by working with various ministries and through media campaigns,” Nsengiyumva said.Among the challenges that the ministry has been facing is the deeply rooted religious and cultural beliefs that do not agree with most of the family planning methods."There are also false rumours on various side effects that could come from continuous use of the various family planning methods. They range from causing women to put on weight to affecting fertility. To counter this, we train health care providers accordingly and make them aware on what side effects are true and which are not. Most of them are not true when the services are administered  accordingly after medical examinations,” he said.So far, Nsengiyumva said their efforts have not been in vain and they have made leaps toward their target and already 1 per cent of the current 58 per cent under family planning methods is under permanent methods, tubal ligation and vasectomy."Previously, in 2007-2008, the penetration of family planning services amongst sexually attractive population in the urban areas and the rural areas had a 10-per cent difference but as of 2010 they were almost at par with the penetration at 47 per cent for urban areas and 45 per cent for rural areas.Jean De Dieu Turaturanye, a medical detailer at Society for Family Health, a nonprofit healthcare provider that uses social marketing to promote behaviour change and  family planning services, said they have noted an improvement in the general population’s mentality towards family planning."Previously, it was almost impossible to convince people on the importance of family planning services, but now it is common to receive orders from people all over the country,” Turaturanye said.But even as the penetration of family planning is on the rise, the cost of some of the services and methods holds back sexually-active people."The cost of standard contraceptives at pharmacies around the city is currently at Rwf10,000. There is need to subsidise these pills because they are expensive,” Fidele Habineza, a pharmacist in Kigali, said.  Click here for related story