Malawi families urged on birth-control -Minister says use contraceptives
Malawi government has termed soaring population growth as a threat to the health of many and urged birth-control measures as means of regulating family size.
Minister of Health Dr Peter Kumpalume said Tuesday that all families in the country should embrace the tendency of using contraceptive as the population of Malawi stands at 16.8 million which if not checked will triple in the next 24 years.
Kumpalume made the call in Lilongwe when he officially opened a Client Oriented Provider Efficiency (COPE) for Contraceptive Security Dissemination meeting at Sun Bird Capital.
“There is need for married couples to embrace contraceptive use so as to prevent having unwanted babies as this put their future in jeopardy. As of now on average each women has six children which is on the high and if not checked this will result in the triple of the population in the next 24 years and we cannot afford to provide resources to this high population,” he said.
Kumpalume assured that Malawian women will have access to contraceptives .
His remarks comes after Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Patricia Kaliati is on record urgingpeople in the country to limit child bearing to four per household, saying the country’s resources cannot sustain the growing population.
“Times have changed, and we need to change. If you bear six or seven children today and each one of them bears the same number, where do you think resources to carter for their needs will come from? Where will they build houses and farm?”
She said at least four children are enough adding that government is making plans on how best the country can develop but, that cannot work if the number of children in families is not limited.
In his speech, Kumpalume said most teenage girls are the ones at the most high risk of getting unwanted pregnancies, and said his ministry encourages sex education for schoolchildren and adults.
Project Director for EngenderHealth who are the financers of the COPE project, Jane Wickstrom said girl need to child planning.
“ It is the aim of this project to make sure that contraceptives are found in hospitals where these girls can easily access them,” she said.
Client Oriented Provider Efficiency (COPE) for Contraceptive Security Dissemination is a project that aimed at making sure that contraceptives are found in hospitals and was operational in 60 hospitals countrywide has since helped in reducing the high rate of unwanted pregnancies.
According to the Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS 2010), Malawi’s fertility rate stands at 5.7 children per woman, which is higher than the wanted fertility rate of 4.5 children per woman while the annual growth rate stands at 2.8 percent.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Conctraceptives should be available in hospitals, as if we all can access one easily! What about religious sensibilities? Catholics aren’t too keen on that but maybe it is time to change.
@November Rain, u r out of order to think that opposers of child birth control are poor and uneducated. Infact mosy of them speaking against use of contraceptives are rich and well educated probably more than you.
i say no to contraceptives. Let Malawians multiply as much as they want. There is more land in Malawi, why bother! Thats how our economy can grow by enlarging the market of commodities. Think guys!! Think of China. Assuming you are selling sweets at K1 to 1bn Chinese. You will get K1bn just from sweets. Open your eyes and ears Malawi!!!!!
New world order in motion, depopulate us using food, contraceptive, drinks, air, drugs and what so ever you can but people knows this and you all behind the scene. god forgive u till u repent or do according to His will.
Zolera chani apa! Ndiye tikalera mudzatani? Fodya eti? Ife sitilora koma kugwira ntchito molimba, ana ndi chuma BAMBO. Makolo anu akanalera munaliko inu? Ganizani mwa Nzeru osati mwa nseru.
Bible doesn’t say tikhale ngati mcenga, but tiligonjetse dziko lapansi!! now take time to calculate total usable land on earth & compare with the world population u find out that we are actually few in this world! contraception is the devil’s idea & is a new world order agenda to depopulate Africa, contraception is full of serious side effects, azimayi ambiri acotsedwa ziberekero coz of these, cancer nde imabwera ndithu coz of the same.
Its too late.The population is already too high.All the signs are there.Imagine Malawi with 30-40million people.The poverty and suffering would reach alarming levels.Crime rates would go up,not just corruption but actual violence,maybe even war.People would just end up getting killed anyway.
Bwana ur preaching aint enough pakhale coury order basi. Am worried with level of poverty and irresponsible fathers this country will go no where send sos we nid to slow down.
Akanakutchingilani ena inu mukanabadwa?mukanayankhula za nonsense zo?aliyense ali ndi ufulu wobwera kuno ku dziko and enjoy the life that u r enjoying,jealous basi.wobadwa abadwe kuti mbweeee.
Good idea but the problem is that family planning messages and services are concentrated in town, whereas people who bear alot of children are in rural areas. Ammidziwa alibe zofunikira posamala ana koma ndi amene amabereka ana ambiri. Azakulera inu pitani mmidzimu.
Ine ana anga ndiatulutsa mpaka mselu. Kubeleka sapangirana. Iya!!!!!