On the occasion of the World Contraception Day, the National Health and Reproduction Program (PNSR) says Burundians now understand the importance of using contraceptive methods. The users’ number has increased from 2, 7 % in 2007 to 42, 5 % in 2016.
Ndacayisaba Anani: “There is an increase from 2 to 3 % in the use of contraceptive methods in Burundi every year”
PNSR says the number of Burundians who use birth control methods is gradually increasing. “An average of 2% to 3% is observed each year. We moved from 2, 7% in 2007 to 42, 5 % in 2016” says Anani Ndacayisaba, National Health and Reproduction Program (PNSR) deputy director.
He says the role of the program is to promote family planning and ensure access to preferred contraceptive methods for women and couples. “We have different contraceptive methods that we suggest to them namely the use of condoms, pills or injection, implant or intra uterine device or vasectomy and tubal ligation.”
However, some Burundian women say those methods present a number of negative impacts “Those medicines are very dangerous to our health. They present a number of impacts” says Josiane, a woman met in Bujumbura town.
For those people who say that contraceptive methods have negative impacts on the health of the users, Ndayisaba says it is not true: “Those are just rumours. Like other medicines, those contraceptive methods may have side effects depending on the user but the latter can be easily treated”.
The PNSR deputy director reminds the importance of contraception for families in particular and the whole country in general: “The use of contraceptive methods allows birth control and this contributes to the development of communities.”
He says it is also good for the well-being and autonomy of women “It is essential for the well-being of women and it helps to put families and country on a more prosperous and sustainable path. Contraception has shown its advantages in a number of countries” says Anani Ndacayisaba
The PNSR says that among the contraceptive methods available in Burundi, the most used are injection and intrauterine device (IUD).
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