Better Quality Life Through Family Planning

In the last years, Rwanda has witnessed an unprecedented improvement in the modern use of Family Planning. This is largely as a result of different interventions by various actors backed by the government commitment to achieving both national and international objectives. According to the Rwanda Demographic Healthy Survey (2015), the fertility rate has fallen from 4.6 in (2005-2010) to 4.2 (DHS 2015).
Contributing to this- is the Society for Family Health’s community outreach activities such as Mobile Family Planning, & behavior change communications among others which have resulted into improved Family Planning uptake. The number of people using SFH’s family planning methods branded as “Confiance Pills & Injectabes” as well as condoms has steadily risen year after year.
For instance, on 10th August 2016, SFH Rwanda Eastern Region alone conducted a Mobile family Panning aimed at easing accessibility of family planning services in Nyagitare sector, Gatsibo district, “Post de santé Nyagitare” and more than 150 people gathered to hear the message on family planning. Among these, 50 attended counseling sessions, and 38 took family planning methods both “confiance injectable and pills” and 10 were referred.

The Nurse in Charge of Family Planning at Post de Sante Nyagitare- Gatsibo District speaks to the audience about FP methods. 

The event was officiated by the Executive Secretary of Nyagitare sector- Gatsibo district. He echoed the need to scale up Family Planning if better quality life was to be achieved by the residents. “There is no way you can attain better quality life with a big family, you need to plan for your family by using Family Planning Methods”. Executive

NTIRENGANYA Pierre Celestin, the Executive Secretary of Nyagitare sector, officiating the Mobile Family Planning event.

It should be note that, Family Planning cuts across sectors and as such contributes to the achievement of multiple development Goals. Thus, innovating approaches and strategies to influence behaviors to scale up family planning methods use is required if this contribution is to be fully realized.