The paradigm shift for family planning in Uganda

Roselline Achola looks at the lessons for frontline health workers

Ugandans view family planning (FP) in different ways. Some say it is an attempt to render women infertile. Some say it is intended to wipe out the entire population or as means for total ban of children by government and the international community. Some scholars have attempted to explain the concept but many people hesitate to believe them.

According to Uganda Ministry of Health (MoH, 2008), FP is a basic human right for an individual/couple to exercise control over their fertility, make informed decision on the number of children they want to have, when to have the frst and last pregnancy and the space between the pregnancies.

But despite this simple and straightforward defnition, to some people the meaning of FP still has different connotation. This has called for a reconsideration of the new name and logo for FP in Uganda, a rebranding that is still under consultation with different stakeholders.