Government has scaled up efforts to ensure access to Family Planning services.
Health Deputy Minister Akakandelwa Mwendoi says the move is aimed at ensuring that family planning services are available in the 72 districts of the country.
He announced this when 15 European Union (EU) parliamentarians paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Lusaka today.
The EU parliamentarians are in the country to check on some of the donor funded projects on reproductive health in the country with particular focus on the Southern Province.
The deputy minister said government is promoting safe motherhood by encouraging women to seek frequent ante natal check ups.
Mr. Mwendoi said government has further put in place measures to strengthen safe motherhood by engaging action groups to sensitize communities about safe motherhood.
Speaking earlier, Director of Reproductive Health at the Ministry of Health Dr. Victor Mukonka stressed the need to train and equip Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in rural areas with knowledge and skills to supplement the efforts of health centres.
And EU delegation leader Senator Fiona O’marley from Ireland said the EU is committed to assisting Zambia address the various challenges faced by the nation in the health sector.
Long overdue
Ti bala maningi mwe! ma brakes pan’gono.
Some stories. Thanx anyway
why are comments taking forever to show. Boring LT
Love Europe and hate the EU
Ah so you mean to say up to date there has not been accessibility to these facilities imwe bantu. Give people what they need and give them choices so they can make up their minds. Also pa zed there is too much tradition. people are not so free to use these things because the grandmothers have said this and that. The end users need to know the benefits of these facilities. Every health facility in any case should be available, accessible and affordable. also should safe to use. I dont want to sound like am teaching now, the govt knows about all this.
Access to family planning in fine but the high prevalence of cervical and breast cancers in Zambian women is not being addressed. Govt must put in place free screening clinics for women i.e pap smears and mammograms as part of family planning, after all when mothers are not healthy, families disintergrate.