The Western Province is lagging behind other regions in the country in the use of contraceptives, according to latest findings.Speaking during the opening of a ten-day Family Planning workshop last week, the Director of Gitwe Hospital, Dr Valens Habimana, said although government quadrupled contraceptive uptake in five years (from 10 per cent, according to 2005 DHS to 45 per cent, according to 2010 DHS), the contraceptive uptake is just 35.5 per cent in the Western Province.The findings put Rusizi District at the bottom, with a paltry 23.4 per cent. The event, which was organised by the Ministry of Health in partnership with UNFPA and Family Health International (FHI360), will end on June 1. It attracted participants from Byimana, Kinazi, Gitarama, Mbuye and Musambira health centres – all in the Southern Province.The official noted that the training is aimed at equipping health providers with more knowledge and competences so that they are able to provide quality family planning services.The workshop is part of the ministry’s plans to train at least two officersper health centre to ensure continued provision of quality familyplanning services.The training is facilitated by trainers from the Ministry of Health, UNFPA and Family Health International.
