By Donald Dube
Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC), in collaboration with Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), Harare City Health Department and supported by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) through the Health Resilience Fund (HRF), conducted a nine-day community outreach exercise in Harare District from 24 November – 18 December 2025. The outreach activities provided free Family Planning and Reproductive Health services, targeting hard-to-reach and marginalized groups in Kambuzuma, Masasa Park, Hatcliff, Churu Farm and Glen View ‘Tanaka’ among other communities.
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The engagements improved health-seeking behaviors among adolescents and young people, increased access to reproductive health services in marginalized communities and strengthened local health systems through collaboration and networking. Community outreaches improved knowledge and attitudes towards Family Planning and Sexual Reproductive health (SRH) among target populations, leading to increased uptake of services and healthier behaviors.
Adolescents access free reproductive health services
ZNFPC Director Technical Services, Ms Mercy Marimirofa highlighted that, “Much appreciation to the government’s client-centred health programming and UNFPA for technical and financial assistance. Collaboration is essential, as ZNFPC’s partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Harare City Health and United Nations Population Fund was instrumental in the success of the community outreach activities.” The outreach exercise achieved several outcomes, including an increased proportion of women and men accessing modern contraception and reproductive health services.
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Comprehensive service delivery was provided with free FP / SRH clinical services and information dissemination. The team provided information on drug abuse, stress management and gender-based violence to adolescents and young people. The outreach exercise reached over 1500 community members, including 400 young people with information services. Distributed over 2000 posters and pamphlets providing health education to make informed choices. The provision of free family planning services was well-received by the community, with Patricia, a young woman from Glen View saying, “It is important to regularly visit our community and teach adolescents on making informed choices as they are a lot of teenage pregnancies and child marriages taking place.”
Taking healthcare services to the people
Most clients (381) accessed Control Oral Contraceptive pill (Control) while (132) clients received Progesterone Only Pills (Secure). Depo Provera injectable was accessed by (52) people while Sayana Press was accessed by (16) people throughout the outreaches. Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) insertions were jadelle (49) clients, Implanon (3) clients. LARCs removals were Jadelle (29) clients, Implanon (3) clients and IUCD had two removals. A total of (134) people received HIV self – testing kits to go and test as individuals or with partners. The health service providers explained and demonstrated how to use an HIV self-testing kit.
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Clients were well responsive to the outreaches with people accessing free services. Overall, the outreach exercise was a success, achieving its objectives and contributing to the improvement of reproductive health outcomes in the target areas. The exercise demonstrated the commitment of MOHCC, ZNFPC, Harare City Health and UNFPA to promoting reproductive health and family planning services, particularly among hard-to-reach and marginalized groups.