The Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State health ministry has in the last two weeks carried out a series of workshops to engage local communities and to find ways of implementing family planning programs.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, Aleu Pioth Akot, the director-general of the state ministry of health said it is the commitment of the ministry to sensitize the public on reproductive health issues.
“We want to show them their rights in birth or reproductive health and when to use the family planning medicines. This is the concept of the workshops and also to sensitize the people in the scope of health rights,” Pioth said.
He said the communities have resisted or been slow in embracing family planning methods because of cultural norms and that is the reason the health ministry has been holding sensitization workshops.
“Of course, there are a lot of complaints at the community level over the use of the family planning drugs because they are saying it is not allowed by the cultural norms,” Pioth explained. “The communities are also accusing NGOs of having brought the program that is against their norms. So we tell them this is a mandate of the health ministry.’’
Some participants at the workshop said they had now understood family planning and were ready to carry the message to the people at the grass-root level.
Achol Mango, who attended one of the workshops said family planning will help women from the enormous challenges of breastfeeding and bringing up children. She called for the continuation of the awareness up to the grassroots.
“The workshops that we have attended in Aweil were so important because we the women are suffering in birth and bringing up children,” Mangok said. “Children move to the streets due to lack of proper nurturing and that is why we appreciated the doctors for providing the family planning medicines for women.’’
Another participant, Khon Dut Apei, says he saw major benefits of the family planning program in community development, “The family planning program has a role in community development especially for females, they will be ready to continue their school journey and maintains their physical strength.’’
Monica Alphonse, a participant, appreciated the organizers and said that with family planning, women can get jobs or get involved in the business.
“The organizers have tried their best and told us all the benefits of the family planning program. It empowers a family and encourages some women who can work in the market or offices,’’ Alphonse said.