Source: New Vision
Uganda loses about $112m (sh275b) annually due to inadequate investment in maternal health and family planning, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has revealed.
UNFPA assistant representative Dr. Wilfred Ochan said that the costs of unplanned pregnancies and complications related to unsafe abortions greatly affect investment in Uganda.
He was presenting a paper on the 'Costs and benefits of Family Planning' at the national conference on population and development in Kampala on Thursday.
Uganda has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world standing at 435 deaths per 100,000 births while unsafe abortion causes up to 26 per cent of the maternal deaths.
One of every 25 pregnant women faces a life time risk of pregnancy related death.
Ochan noted that although more women in Uganda are now able to practice family planning, majority still lack full access to reproductive health services, including quality contraceptive services.
"Many women bear children before they are ready or bear more than they can care for forcing them to resort to unsafe abortion," Ochan said.
"Contraceptive use promotes health, saves life and saves money. It is the single most strategic, high impact and low cost intervention for socio-economic development of any nation," Ochan added.
He also observed that Uganda's progress towards achieving Millennium Development Goals 5 of improving maternal health and family planning through contraceptive use.
Uganda's contraceptive use stands at 24 per cent which is less than projected target of 50 per cent by 2050. The 2011/2012 national budget Uganda allocated sh8b for family planning.