AYV News, September 26, 2024
Sierra Leone today joins the world to commemorate the World Contraception Day. In 2023 alone, 640,000 women were using modern methods of contraception in Sierra Leone, contributing to averting an estimated 246,000 unwanted pregnancies, 87,000 unsafe abortions and 1,900 maternal deaths. This was according to the Demographic Health Surveys, which stated that the use of modern contraceptives increased from 8% in 2008, to 21% in 2013, to 24% in 2019.
The UNFPA works with the Government of Sierra Leone to expand access to contraceptives and life-saving maternal health drugs for women and adolescent girls, helping to end unmet need for family planning, reduce preventable maternal deaths and empower women and youth to fulfil their potential. The agency procures over 90% of contraceptive supplies in the country.
In 2022, UNFPA supported the country with the procurement of US$ 3.5 million worth of quality-assured and cost-effective contraceptives, which helped in averting an estimated 210,000 unintended pregnancies, 76,000 unsafe abortions and 1,700 maternal deaths.
UNFPA Country Representative, Nadia Rasheed said: “Family planning is not only essential to improving health and wellbeing, it is also critical to advancing the empowerment of women and to reducing poverty and inequality.”
She applauded the increased access to family planning information and services in Sierra Leone, she underscored the need to accelerate progress in order to meet national and international targets and commitments and enable women and young people to fulfil their potential.
Service Marketing Manager at Marie Stopes in Sierra Leone, Fayia Foray said Marie Stopes administers over one thousand contraceptives to women every week in Sierra Leone, adding that the administration of contraceptives to people has not only contributed to the economic growth of the country but has also led to the alleviation of poverty and the empowerment of female youth to a large extent.
He said it has even strength the sexual reproductive health through awareness raising countrywide, adding; “when you think about the economic impact contraceptives have over the years made, one will notice that they have helped a lot of young women to make informed decisions about their sexual health. With contraceptives, women are able to control their birth rate, when, how and whom she wants to have children with. The administration of contraceptives, makes it possible for women to control their birth by choosing when to have children, how many children they want to have and with whom they want to have their children with”.
He said contraceptives have prevented lots of young women from dropping out of school and had it not being for contraceptives, many young women would have dropped out of school, adding that at the end of the day, “if we have lots of women who have dropped out of school, who are not able to continue their schooling because of unintended pregnancy, then would have become a problem for our society”.
Every year on September 26, World Contraception Day spreads awareness about contraception and safe sex. The Day also teaches younger generations to make informed decisions about sexual health.
