Source: AllAfrica
The fifth coordination meeting of the Eastern Africa Reproductive Health Network (EARHN) started on Monday with the theme "Repositioning family planning and reproductive health in Eastern Africa."

The meeting, which will last for four days, is bringing together seven countries of the East African region: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. One of the objectives is to promote the exchange of information and of innovative practices from the participating countries.

"We will be looking at the different problems of development, but a special emphasis is put on family planning," explained Dr. Anicet Nzabonimpa, coordinator of the family planning, HIV, maternal and child integration unit in the mealth ministry.

Highlighting the importance of family planning, Abdelylah Lakssir, the international program officer at the Africa Regional Office of Partners in Population and Development, an intergovernmental alliance of developing countries committed to the promotion of south-south cooperation, said that this area affects not only the development of a country, but also the achievement of the millennium development goals.

"When you are planning, you plan for a certain number of the people," he explained. "When that number keeps increasing in an uncontrolled manner, the achievements you want will not be attained or reach the people you would like to see develop."

The participants at the meeting had a chance to hear of Rwanda's experience in the area of family planning, where the country has made some progress, with fertility rates passing from 6.1 children per woman in 2005/2006 to 4.6 in 2010.

"This has been made possible thanks to the political will and high level commitment," Nzabonimpa commented adding that Rwanda is focusing more on long term family planning methods rather than permanent ones.

One of the factors that has contributed to the wide spread and use of family planning methods is the ability of community health workers to distribute those products at village level, including counseling, follow up as well as tools and medication.

"This has reduced the burden on the health centers and covered the gap that may have been caused by a scarcity of specialized medical personnel," Nzabonimpa remarked adding that currently the program is in 20 districts and they are hoping that all districts will be covered by the end of this year.

The competence of the community health workers was discussed as it was highlighted that this plays a crucial role in controlling population growth. The ministry of health provides theoretical as well as practical training to the health workers and when they have proved themselves capable, they can start distributing the needed counsels and methods to the population.

Yet some challenges remain when it comes to family planning, especially when it comes to understanding and perceptions. "The rumors and misconception are mostly due to ignorance or are faith- and religion-based," Nzabonimpa explained, pointing out that awareness is needed to counter the impact of such beliefs and the fear they create.

Despite the recent progress of the country, there is still a gap when it comes to fertility. "Here in Rwanda, research shows that desired fertility rate is 3.1 children per woman," Lakssir remarked. "But we see that the actual fertility is still at 4.6, so the competent authorities really need to address whatever obstacles are causing this difference between the desires of the population and reality."

The participants at the meeting will have an opportunity to visit some health facilities to see for themselves how all the family planning programs are implemented, coordinated and delivered; and they will develop recommendation for effective implementation of country level action plans which need to be adapted to each country's specific context.