Increased Domestic Funding Crucial To Ending Family Planning Unment Need In Zimbabwe-UNFPA

By Ntokozo Gudu

Even though Zimbabwe has made progress in increasing coverage of modern contractive methods, the country still lags regarding expanding domestic financing towards Family Planning services.

This was said by the United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA  ) programme specialist, Dr Edwin Mpeta during UNFPA International Conference on Population and Development Media Briefing in Harare.  

 “Commodity security is under threat as it is largely donor funded but also the Government has invested US$3 million in 2022 and 2023 ,we require about US$7 million worth of contraceptives and we need more on domestic financing, more investments are required for contraceptives and family planning, ” Dr Mpeta said.

He also highlighted that Zimbabwe has reduced 960 deaths to 363 deaths per 100,000 live births, the rate is still very high but he was quick to point out that this was no reason to relax as more still needs to be done.

“A lot needs to be done on pregnant women as we have a target to go down from 363 maternal deaths, as we continue with the government to bring it down to less than 70,” Edwin Mpeta said at the media briefing.

UNFPA Zimbabwe Deputy Representative Navchaa Suren emphasized the need to support adolescent and youth-friendly SRHR service provision.

“There is a need to support adolescent and youth-friendly SRHR service provision, supporting comprehensive sexuality education is schools, supporting implementations of a multi-sectoral framework to address adolescent pregnancy,” she said.

Suren also highlighted on the issue of Gender Based Violence as it is commonly experienced by women and girls .

“ 39,4% of women and girls aged 15-49 experienced physical violence,49% of ever-married experience physical or sexual violence, hence the need for vocational skills and supporting social behaviour change communication,” Navchaa Suren added.

Meanwhile, UNFPA country representative, Miranda Tabifor said, “As the country continues to progress towards ending the unmet need for family planning ,UNFPA  commends  the government of Zimbabwe ‘s significant domestic investment in procuring contraceptives for a second consecutive year, this increasing commitment to funding contributes to strengthening the national health system and complements UNFPA’s  and funding partners’ contributions towards reducing the unmet need for family planning,” she said. 

Tabifor added that ,” the 20th International Conference on South-South and Triangular Cooperation in Population and Development in Victoria Falls in October 2023 hosted by the government was a major milestone as it was one of the series of global consultations leading to the 30th anniversary of the ICPD that will be officially commemorated in New York in April 2024,’’ she said.  

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