Contraceptive prevalence and family planning program effort in Zimbabwe
Boohene, E.; Dow, T.E.J.
International Family Planning Perspectives 13(1): 1-7
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0190-3187 DOI: 10.2307/2948100Document Number: 347642
The article examines family planning in Zimbabwe, discussing ways in which the family planning programme coordinated by the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) has changed since 1982, and assessing the effects on contraceptive use in rural and urban areas. It is concluded that, in 1982, the programme was evaluated as being weak. In contrast, a contraceptive prevalence survey for 1984 estimated that 38% of women of reproductive age who were in union were using modern or traditional methods, considerably more than in 1982. Various improvements in the structure and operation of Zimbabwe's national family planning programme may have been a significant factor in the rise in contraceptive prevalence. For example, there was a tremendous increase in contraceptive availability and accessibility. Despite the rural and isolated nature of much of the country, family planning services are now accessible to 80% of the population. This has been achieved largely through a programme of community-based distribution, in which more than 600 local people have been recruited to talk to village groups and individuals about family planning and to supply different methods through home visits. Despite this, however, fertility still remains high although more evenly balanced across rural and urban communities, indicating that much contraceptive use is for spacing rather than preventing births.