EASTERN PROVINCE RWAMAGANA — Twenty five midwives and nurses from selected districts of the country have started a two-week training course on family planning methods. The training, taking place at Avega centre in Rwamagana, was organised by the Ministry of Health in conjunction with Intra-health Twubakane. Marie-Chantal Gahongayire, the head of Rwamagana Health centre, told The New Times in an interview early this week that the training is meant to equip participants with knowledge of both natural and artificial methods of family planning. The artificial methods of family planning highlighted include; contraceptives which can prevent conception for a period of three months once injected and sterilizer pin which can last up to ten years. Gahongayire appealed to Rwandans to adopt family planning, saying they are available in all health centres at cheap prices and sometimes even given out free of charge. Noting that too many children per family are a hindrance to development, she appealed to parents to produce children they could afford to raise. “Women must take more responsibilities in family planning issues as they know the problems they endure. They should take the first initiative to adopt family planning,” she said. Yvonne Iduhoze, a midwife at Nyakariro Health Centre observed that there were many challenges hindering the success of family planning campaign in Rwanda. Among them were; ignorance, lack of cooperation between husband and wife, rigidity as a result of some religions and negative publicity about certain family planning contraceptives. Iduhoze warned residents against entertaining such negative campaigns saying it was the work of individuals who are ignorant of the different methods of family planning. She explained that like any other medication, there could be some negative effects associated with certain contraceptives but it does not render them useless. According to Iduhoze, the success of family planning in the country will largely depend on mutual understanding between husbands and wives. The participants were drawn from Rwamagana, Kicukiro, Nyamagabe and Nyaruguru districts. Ends
