The
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) recently launched a national family
planning campaign at the North Bank Region settlement of Farafenni.
The
campaign was launched at a three-day workshop, 24-26 November, attended by
young people and women from across the region.
The campaign with the slogan ‘Family Planning:
YES to CHOICE, NO to CHANCE’ specifically targets young men and women both in
and out of schools in NBR.
UNFPA
said the campaign is triggered by the increasing fertility and mortality rate
in the country hence the importance of awareness raising on family planning,
HIV testing and cervical cancer screening, which continues to kill women.
As
part of the campaign, people are sensitised about HIV testing and the different
contraceptives available in the country.
Declaring
the campaign open, Chief of Upper Baddibu Ebrahima Ansu Tamba said the campaign
is laudable for it will help women to be mindful of diseases which are curable
such as cervical cancer but which continued to kill them.
The
district chief said family planning gives women the opportunity to space their
kids which leads to happy and healthy families.
Alhaji
Karaba Keita, regional health director of North Bank East, said family planning
is not to discourage people from having children but to help them know when and
how to have children so that they can give their children good upbringing and
healthy living.
UNFPA
head of Gambia office, Adeniyi Kunle, said many women have died during
childbirth and one of the ways to prevent this is through family planning.
“We
don’t want a situation where mothers keep dying. Family planning services are available and we
will help to bring these services closer to you,” he said.
