UNFPA donates contraceptives worth 24bn/-
THE United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Tanzania has donated contraceptives worth more than 9.5 million US Dollars (about 24bn/-) ahead of the World’s Contraception Day celebrations.
The donated supplies were handed over to the Medical Store Department (MSD) in an effort to ensure easy access to a variety of Family Planning (FP) methods.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony on Wednesday, UNFPA’s Representative in Tanzania, Mr Mark Schreiner, said FP is the information, means, and methods that allow individuals to make decisions on when to have children thus, through the mentioned supplies it will be easy to access.
“We remain committed to supporting the ministry through the MSD on the journey to strengthening the supply chain by donating these commodities with the goal of ensuring optimised stocks and minimising stock-outs across the country,” said Mr Schreiner.
He said that over the past year, the procurement of commodities helped to cover the need of 3 million couples and as a result, an estimated 1.5 million unwanted pregnancies has been prevented.
He further said nearly two 2,000 deaths and more than 400,000 unsafe abortions have also been prevented.
He further commended the government’s commitments to advance right-based family planning and planned a 10 per cent annual increase in the current 14bn/- allocated to be fully disbursed for the procurement of contraceptives.
On her part, Development Director from the British High Commission in Tanzania, Ms Kemi Williams said family planning is vital in today’s world since it gives chances to families to plan properly.
“The impact of family planning is beyond health. It is a deliberate collaboration and it’s intergenerational,” said Ms Williams.
She added that the British Commission is committed to supporting voluntary family planning and enabling people to access quality sexual and reproductive health services.
Moreover, the Director of Reproductive Newborn and Child Health, Ministry of Health Dr Ahmed Makuwani said safe reproduction is among the government’s priorities since it gives chances for families to make decisions based on their views which guarantees the well-being of the family.
