While Rwanda has made significant progress in family planning, evidence from the 2015 Demographic and Health Survey key findings reveal that indicators of family planning are not moving as fast as expected to reach the Health Sector Strategic Plan III targets. Experts say despite the high awareness regarding some family planning methods among all married women, there remains common misconceptions, including fear of side effects and that these have to be addressed.

Jozef Maerien, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Rwanda representative while speaking during a press conference last week ahead of the international conference on family planning slated for next month said more efforts are needed to achieve family planning. Organised under the theme "Global commitments, local actions”, the forth-coming conference will be held from

November 9 to 12, with special focus on improving global access to life-saving family planning resources.

Currently in Rwanda, 48 per cent of married women are using modern contraceptive methods compared to 45.1 in 2010, according to the statistics available.

While the unmet need decreased slightly from 21 per cent in 2010 to 19 per cent in 2015, it remains relatively high.

Maerien said in Rwanda, government has taken a comprehensive approach to increase family planning uptake, much as barriers such as access to family planning still impede its success.

‘‘Despite the high awareness regarding some family planning methods among all currently married women, there are noted common misconceptions about the use of family planning which constitute barriers, including misconception and fear of side effects such as pain, infertility, or birth defects that have to be addressed,’’ Maerien added.

"Increase in access to long-term and permanent family planning methods, increase in knowledge and acceptability of family planning methods in the community by dispelling myths and misconceptions about family planning are some of the future plans to increase access to family planning,” Maerien said.

He said family planning has transformed and saved the lives of millions of women and children, helping to expand choices for women of reproductive age and reduce unwanted pregnancies hence supporting governments and families to reduce and break the cycle of poverty.

John Butera, the communications manager of Society for Family Health Rwanda said family planning services are accessible only that people have the wrong mindset towards the use of family planning hence creating a barrier.

"Resources are distributed to every corner of the country, failure in proper use of family services is not as a result of limited access to the services but rather by people’s mindset,” Butera said.

Butera added that Behavioural change communications campaigns are done across the country to inform people that these are not harmful methods but rather intended for a good cause.

"People are sensitised on how the population has an impact on economic growth hence show them the benefits of using family planning.”

editorial@newtimes.co.rw