Publication date: Monday, 24th March, 2008
By Anthony Bugembe
MEN should play a central role in family planning, a health expert has said. Amon Mulyowa, the programme officer of Communication for Development Foundation-Uganda, said decisions like how many children a couple should have, must be made by men, who are normally the bread earners.
“It is important for a man to discuss with the wife the number of children they want to have and the best family planning methods to use.”
Mulyowa was recently addressing a reproductive health workshop at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala.
He said in some cultures like among the Basoga, the man’s word was final and respected.
“Therefore, we must revitalise the family planning campaign to enable men play an active role.
“It is not a crime to remind your wife to take her pills. Some women hide when taking birth control pills, fearing the wrath of their husbands, which is wrong.”
According to Mulyowa, some men claim they can manage large families but do that with a lot of stress due to resource constraints.
“Having a smaller family makes you more of a real man because you can provide for it. The more children, the more you will have to spend.
“Our parents produced and provided for large families because they had the resources.”
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