Funding gaps, limit contraceptives use

By Jacquiline Emodek

Kibuku district's population grew from 208,200 people last year to 215,900 this year. The eastern Uganda district has a population growth rate of 3.81% with contraceptive prevalence standing at 26.4%, according to Dr. Ahmed Bumba, the district health officer.

Aside from the myths surrounding use of contraceptives and the side effects, Bumba says the main reason for the poor prevalence of contraceptive use is the stock out and poor funding for contraceptives.

Dr. Rashid Kabaka Lubega, the in charge at Kusasira health centre III which serves a greater part of the district, says on average ,the centre receives 60 clients a month who need contraceptives.

Most of them use injectables and Intrauterine Devices (IUDs). "We receive injectables and condoms but do not receive pills, even when we requisition for them. The only pill that we received was a single dose of emergency contraceptives on May 25 this year. That was in the last quarter," Justine Mulabiza, an enrolled midwife at Kusasira health centre III says.

She adds that the centre does not have long term reversible contraceptives like implants. Dr. Michael Bukenya, the head of the health committee at Parliament, says typically, the expenditure on contraceptives falls under the Public Health Care (PHC) development funds, which health centres receive every quarter.

Kusasira health centre III PHC development funds increased from sh930,000 last year to about sh1m this year but Bumba says the funds are still very meager. As a result, when health centres prioritise on what to spend on, contraceptives are, unfortunately, not considered a priority.

"We are cognizant of the need to prioritise resources to family planning but we do not have them so we rely on partners like Reproductive Health Uganda. It should be noted that when it comes to capacity building, we have trained medical personnel on administering long term family planning methods. Our problem, therefore, is not capacity but stock out of contraceptives," Bumba says.

He adds that the stock outs may also be due to poor capacity in ordering and quantifying of contraceptives from the National Medical Stores (NMS).

"While there has been capacity building about ordering and quantifying of the ART drugs for HIV, nothing has been done for contraceptives," he says.

The grim picture is not any different at Budaka health centre IV in Budaka district. Dr. John Wogabaga says the centre receives sh16m per quarter but the money fluctuates over time and even goes down to as low as sh11m. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THIS STORY

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