On September 26, World Contraception Day is observed with a focus on raising awareness of family planning and contraceptive information. It is an annual global campaign that emphasizes the value of reproductive health while shedding light on birth control options. Better awareness and information regarding safe and protected sex are also emphasized.
As the world marks today’s World’s Contraception Day, the Ministry of Health under Bungoma Referral Hospital joins the world in celebrating the day in the Paediatric unit ground.
In marking today’s event, there was a peaceful demonstration starting from the Bungoma airstrip all the way to Huduma Center Bungoma back to the grounds with the theme being ‘BREAKING MYTHS ON CONTRACEPTION’.
The day was made successful with partnerships being USAID, Youth In Action (Y-ACT), Primary Health Care Reproductive Initiative (PHCPI), Stage Media together in health and development among others. With this partnership, the event was a success as anticipated with those attending among being the County Government of Bungoma team, Doctors from Various hospitals, Health community volunteers and Reproductive Health Coordinators (RH) across all Sub-Counties.
From the survey done, the County Reproductive Health Coordinator, Ms Christine Naliaka said that as a County we are at 46% of contraceptive intake with Mt. Elgon Sub-County leading at 67%, closely followed by Sirisia and Kanduyi doing poorly at 30%.
Ms. Naliaka urged the residents to embrace family planning methods that include; injection intake, implants, pills and use of condoms.
With the theme being Breaking Myths On Contraception, the County Reproductive Health Coordinator said that myths like Birth control will make me gain weight.
I heard the implant causes you to gain a bunch of weight.
Birth control will imbalance my hormones and make me “crazy,”
Birth control pills cause cancer.
Birth control will affect my ability to have children in the future.
IUDs can cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease are things that are making many people not to go for contraceptive, therefore she urged people not to believe all these myths since none of them is true and plan for their family to be able to care due to increased cost of living.
Other co-coordinators promised to inform the people including men to go for vasectomy to ensure family planning is widely put into consideration and practiced.
By Sarah Nandemu
