Zimbabwe launches the National Family Planning Strategy (2022 – 2026)
The Zimbabwe National Family Planning Strategy for 2022 – 2026 was officially launched on the 16th December 2022 by the Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, General (Rtd) Dr Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Mister of Health and Child Care. The same event witnessed the launch of the Family Planning (FP2030) Agenda and the Commitments to Commodity Security.
By Donald Dube
The National Family Planning Strategy is a fulfillment of the commitment of the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe to provide quality comprehensive and evidence based integrated family planning, adolescent sexual and reproductive health and HIV and AIDS services and by so doing contribute to its national development goal.
Speaking at the official launch of the strategy in Harare, Vice President General (Rtd) Dr Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Health and Child Care minister, said “Government remains committed to ensuring universal access to quality integrated contraceptive services for all based on the principles of human rights and gender equality.
Vision – Towards zero unmet need for family planning services among all in Zimbabwe by 2026
Mission – To provide rights-based quality integrated family planning services through innovation and co-ordination.
Goals
- Reduced unintended pregnancies among women of reproductive age. (Indicator: Unmet need for family planning reduced from 10% in 2021 to 7% by 2026)
- Reduced adolescent pregnancies. (Indicator: Adolescent fertility rate reduced from 108/1000 in 2019 to 93/1000 by 2026)
Objectives
- Increased utilization of modern contraceptives by adolescent boys, girls, women of reproductive age and men. (Indicator: mCPR for all women increased from 50.2% in 2019 to 54% by 2026)
- Increased utilization of integrated FP, SRHR and HIV services for adolescents. (Indicator: mCPR for adolescence (15-24 years) increased from 48% in 2015 to 54% by 2026.)
The strategy has been developed at a time when the country already has its National Health and National Development Strategies, providing a unique opportunity for its alignment to these key national policy instruments. Built around addressing high adolescent pregnancy cases, among other issues, the National Family Planning Strategy has adopted guiding principles for the National Health Strategy which include equity, quality, efficiency, confidentiality and professionalism.
While good progress has been realized in family planning and related SRH programs especially in terms of high levels of knowledge on contraceptives (99%) and equally high contraceptive prevalence rate of 65% there are still many and complex gaps that should be closed to reduce unmet need for family planning, reduce teenage pregnancy, increase access to sexual and reproductive health for young people particularly the more hard to reach.
Speaking at the same occasion, ZNFPC Acting Board Chairperson Dr Stanzia Moyo reiterated that, “The National Family Planning Strategy emphasizes the importance of information, education and communication in the provision of family planning services to the nation, paying particular attention to the importance of schools, parents, and religious, political and traditional leadership in the process,”
The Strategy encourages government, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations and leaders at various levels, development partners, health service providers and communities to continue collaborative efforts to harness available resources and optimize their use alongside building on positive experiences towards attainment of the intended results and targets for quality integrated family planning programming. Zimbabwe’s sound policy frameworks on population have seen the country being given the honour to host a High-level Conference leading to the International Conference on Population and Development in the year 2023.