Harare (New Ziana) -Zimbabwe is one of the few countries in Africa with the highest modern contraceptive prevalence rate at 68 per cent as of 2021, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has said.
In a statement to mark World Contraception Day, UNFPA country representative Miranda Tabifor commended the Zimbabwe government for its commitment to the provision of contraceptives.
“UNFPA extends its hearty congratulations to Zimbabwe for being one the few countries to be awarded additional financing for reproductive health and family planning commodities through the UNFPA Supplies Match Fund. Our continued partnership and efforts will ensure that we achieve the unmet need for a family planning agenda,” he said.
“Our partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe in the provision of contraceptives goes back a very long way and we are extremely proud of the journey we have undertaken together.”
World Contraception Day is commemorated each year on 26 September.
Launched in 2007, the day was set aside to assist in raising awareness of contraception as well as to enable young people and women of reproductive age to make informed choices on their sexual and reproductive health.
The UNFPA however said although Zimbabwe has made huge progress in the provision of family planning for women and girls, more efforts are required to ensure improved access for those in the remotest parts of the country.
“There is still unmet need among women and girls of reproductive age, the majority of them in rural, remote and hard-to-reach settings and often young and the most vulnerable, including persons with disabilities. Unmet need for family planning among married couples is 10 percent in urban areas and 11 percent in rural areas while unmet need for young people is 12.6 percent nationally,” said the agency.
Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) acting executive director Ben Chikati said the family planning gains could not have been achieved without the support of partners.
“In Zimbabwe, modelling undertaken by the ministry of health and child care ZNFPC, confirms the benefits of family planning locally. For every additional US$1 invested in family planning, there is an additional US$2 to US$4 savings in health costs. We are very proud of the achievements we have made as a country in the area of family planning provision and grateful for the support of our partners.”
According to analysis by the FP2030, in the last 5 years (between 2018 and 2022) the use of contraceptives has averted nearly 3,6 million unintended pregnancies, almost a million (918,000) unsafe abortions and 12,700 maternal deaths in Zimbabwe.
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