Maternal health

It is the same story everywhere. maternal wards are full with some expectant mothers or those with new borns sleeping on the floor fo lack of space and enough beds. Picture taken at Turiani Hospital, Turiani.

Journalist, Ramadhan Libenanga , presenting 26,000/- on behalf of other journalists to one of the teenage mothers suffering from absess pains. This girls was in form one when she became pregnant. it was her follow pupil responsible for this pregnancy

The picture on the left is of a girl of 12 years of age, in labour pains as she waits for her turn to deliver. As in the first case, this girl, according to her mother-in-law, was impreginanted by follow primary school pupil. All pictures taken at Turian Hospital, Turiani.

It has been explained that girls below 18 years of age form 25 percent of all mothers coming for delivery at the Turian Hospital. Girls as low as 12 years of age get pregancy and there is nothing the community is doing to stop the problem in the district.

From the media

Mwananchi, June 27th, 2010
Only a few culprits who impreginate school girls have their cases sent to court. It has been learnt that the both the parents of the pregnant girls and the men opt for out of court settlement, as the men promise to pay bride price to the affected families. Men who impreginate school girls or girls bellow 18 years of age get 30 years jail term if convicted. Parents are not in favour the extreme punishment saying it makes the baby to be born an orphan of sort. However, it has been admitted that non-sending of the matter before the courts of law causes teenage pregnancy to go unabatedly.

Majira, June 26th, 2010
The MP for Hai, Fuya Kimbita calls for naming in public all men who impreginate school going girls. The MP also asks parents to play their part effectively if the school girls pregnancy problem is to stop. It has been learnt that parents are usually not cooperative when cases are brought before the court. They do not go to present their evidence even when called upon by the court to do that.

Mtanzania, June 26th, 2010
Young girls have been warned to avoid using Family Planning pills without medical advice for it may lead to serious health complications and they may even become pregnant. Most girls take the pills secretly which makes adherence to prescribed dosage difficult, which can easily make the girls get pregnant for the pills lose their effectivenes once days are skipped.

Mwananchi, June 26th, 2010
Fourwomen/girls have been brought before the primary court margistrate for conducting commercial sex business which is illegal in Tanzania.

Nipashe, June 26th, 2010
A man (44) in Lindi has been jailed for life for raping his nine year old step-daughter. The man said he raped the girls as punishment on behalf of her mother- his wife- who they were in constant quarrel. The margistrate said the girl can, in no way, be used to replace his wife.

Second round of Media Champions

The Engenderhealth Tanzania has embarked on a second round of media champions orientation. This round takes on 20 journalists from Morogoro, Dar-es-Salaam, Lindi, and Mtwara regions.

The training is taking place at Mtibwa, Turiani. the training is part of EngenderHEalth long term strategy to engage journalists as long term allies in the campaign on promoting FP uptake in the country

Girls and HIV/AIDS

School girls: Pregnant and HIV Positive
By Angel Navuri,Karagwe
An overwhelming 85 per cent of all secondary and primary school students in Karagwe District who fell pregnant in the last three years tested HIV-positive, according to District Commissioner Fabian Massawe.
He made the revelation to stunned journalists and Women Dignity staff currently in the district to conduct research on the magnitude and impact of the problem of schoolgirl pregnancies.
“The problem is mainly the work of crafty men fond of sweet-talking gullible primary and secondary school students into unsafe sex,” said the DC.
“These evil-minded men turn to the poor students wrongly believing that children of such relatively tender age have not been infected with the Aids virus, but the consequences are catastrophic,” he noted.
Massawe said when he was transferred to the district in 2008 (from Kinondoni District in Dar es Salaam) the problem was serious “because the majority of students taken to hospitals for pregnancy tests also tested HIV-positive”.
“A total of 102 schoolgirls fell pregnant that year alone but last year the number dropped to 45 and so far this year 20 schoolgirls have been put in the family way. In all three cases, the number of those also testing HIV-positive comes to 85 per cent,” he added.
Given the seriousness of the problem, explained the DC, the government has had to intervene “by deploying a strategy of monitoring and arresting all those confirmed to have made schoolgirls pregnant”.
“When I was moved to this district, the situation was alarming but the government’s intervention has helped to lower the number of schoolgirls falling pregnant,” he pointed out.
Massawe explained that some of “these destructive men” lure the students with money and gifts such as cell phones which facilitate communication between them.
He said the government has also been arresting parents whose school-going children fall pregnant, adding that some schoolgirls are made pregnant by their own schoolmates or other boys.
“The holding of the respective parents is meant to help sensitise other parents on the need for them to make a close follow-up of their children’s movements and behaviour,” he stated, who went on to reveal that they also deployed “secret informers” who cooperate with police in arresting people dating or flirting with schoolgirls.
He explained that nine teachers have been taken to court charged with impregnating schoolgirls.
Meanwhile, Massawe said the challenges facing them in fighting against early pregnancies included the fact that the law is silent on the action that ought to be taken against schoolgirls falling pregnant.
“Our laws stipulate the action to be taken against those impregnating the girls but it is silent on the girls, while it logically ought to have dealt with both parties,” he argued.
He said another challenge was that investigations into schoolgirl pregnancies usually take very long, sometimes up to six years, before confirmed offenders are sentenced.
The DC appealed to the public to cooperate with the relevant authorities “at least by reporting incidents relating to suspicious behaviour or practices by schoolgirls so that this war is indeed fought jointly”.
Mamelta Martin of Iguruwa village in the district, one of the parents taken to court after her daughter was impregnated, said it was hard for her “because I had never imagined I would one day land in court because of misconduct by my own daughter”.
She said her daughter was 17 when she was impregnated by a young man some three years older, adding: “It was a really difficult time for me because the girl vanished soon after discovering that she was pregnant. Her father had declared that he did not want to see her in his house.”
The daughter, Macnsesia Martin, said when interviewed by The Guardian that she did not imagine that she would end up pregnant “and I profoundly regret what befell me”.
She said she was advised to seek an abortion but she could not do so because she had no money.
Dr Pascal Ndyamkama of Rwaybza Mission Hospital explained that the rate of early pregnancies in the district was “really high” and some girls had been tempted into seeking herb-induced abortions – which he said carried serious risks.
“Most schoolgirls seeking such abortions develop serious problems and are rushed to district hospitals and even referred to the regional hospital for specialised care. But sometimes it is too late,” he said.
He added that two students died earlier this year after attempting herb-induced abortion in the hands of traditional birth attendants.
Meanwhile over 700 mothers in Karagwe district have taken contraceptives as a family planning measure to help them have a manageable number of children.
Assistant nursing officer for Mother and Child Health (MCH) in Karagwe district hospital, Esheza Mwombela, revealed this when briefing journalists and Women Dignity staff who are in the district to research on the problem of fistula.
She explained that during this month alone 420 women underwent tubal ligation in which a woman would be sterilised to prevent fertilisation, while 310 opted for reversible hormonal contraceptive implants.
Mwombela said the government introduced the family planning initiative in rural families to help parents have a manageable number of children. She said the fertility rate was high with parents in Karagwe bearing between 8 and 12 children.
“Having such a big number of children is a burden because parents cannot provide them with basic needs and they are, therefore, most likely to live in extreme poverty,” she said.
She noted that the initiative had been successful since they started implementing it early this month after talking to parents on the disadvantages of having a big number of children they could not manage to look after well,” she said.
She said although most people believed having many children provided them with social security and respect, they were not aware of the future negative implications.
Mwombela mentioned the villages in which the family planning initiative was implemented as Bahamira,Kakiro, Kayanga, Kibagoizi, Ihembe, Ruhita, Nyakasimbi, Nyahabanga, Kanuli, Songambele, Nyamiyaga and Businde.
She said other strategies they deployed to curb the problem included provision of family planning pills and condoms to men although many of them didn’t like them.
This reporter managed to visit Igulwa village where she met with Ananias Fredrick, a man who decided to marry a second wife because the first wife could not deliver many children, while he needed more.
Fredrick said he believed having many children was good but since the first wife had only four children he was forced to marry another one so that he could have more children.
“Right now I have two children with the second wife and the first wife has four children but I need more children with the second wife because the first wife has health problems,” he said.Fredrick explained that poverty was not an excuse for him not to have many children because there were many ways of earning a living.
For her part, the second wife Merceliana Ananias said she could not control her husband because he needed more children and due to her health problem she allowed him to marry another woman if he so wished.
“My husband insisted that he needed more children and my health status could not allow me to have more children. So, I had no choice but to accept the situation,” she said.
The national family planning programme is the sum total of all family planning activities provided by various agencies – and coordinated by the Reproductive and Child Health Unit of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The government started providing family planning services as one of the Mother and Child Health (MCH) components in the mid-1970s.
The Family Planning Unit (FPU) was operational in 1986, and has been gradually strengthened to its present capacity and is responsible for initiating and developing family planning standards and guidelines on service provision, training and other aspects of quality care.

Bariadi: Family Planning methods uptake still very low
Angel Navuri,Bariadi,Report
Family planning services are available in over 90 percent of health facilities across the country but the number of women using them in Bariadi is too low compared to other regions due to high bride price in the community of Sukuma.
This was revealed by Dutwa health centre Clinical officer James Mranga when speaking to journalists and women dignity official who are currently in the area doing research on early pregnancy and fistula disease.
According to the clinical officer reckon only 14-15 percent of women in Bariadi use family planning services secretly without their husbands knowing as they don’t allow them .
“The number of women using these services in urban areas is higher than in rural areas but we don’t have formal statistics to show the disparity,” he said
Mranga said that many of the women could not start family planning because the price paid to the women family has to be paid back by giving birth several children.
“many of the women could not undergo any family planning in Bariadi district because the bride price to the women its high so she has to deliver children in according to the cows given to her family, “said Mranga
He added that its not easy to convince the women to start family planning for their own good because they are afraid to be divorced by their husbands and also it’s a shame to the family.
Giving details he said that from January to May this year only 30 women have undergone intra Uterine Contraceptive Device(I UCD) comparing to Karagwe distrct that per one month in May more than 700 women have undergone family planning.
Mrunga explained that they have been providing education to many of the areas but it has happen that tradition belive on high bride price and delivering children according to the number of cows given to the women family its so high.
Speaking on fistula cases in the area he said that no such cases has happened to the area because many the percent of early pregnancy its very low to the area giving an estimation of 2 percent of those students found HIV positive during pregnancy.
He explained that HIV positive among students in Bariadi who are found to be pregnant its low because of the education the medical staff have been providing to the schools of early pregnancy and infection of HIV to the students.
Speaking to some students many of them seem to have awareness on the disadvantages of early pregnancy and infection of HIV.
Mary Martias a form four student from Nyakabindi secondary school she said that the the teachers have been proving them with information on the disadvantages of early marriages and infection of HIV.
She said that the pictures shown for those who are infected with HIV they are scaring of which it has created fear to students.
“according to what l know l cannot gage the health status of a person by just physical appearance as he or she has to undergo HIV test and this what we are taught by our teachers and health staff who visits our school every time, “she said
Several NGOs and the MoPH are involved in the delivery of family planning services, which include professional advice on gaps between pregnancies and free distribution of contraceptives, including condoms, tablets and injections.
Lack of awareness and strong conservative traditions which often hamper women’s access to health centres are major reasons why family planning measures are not making much headway in the countryside, health experts say.
Backed by the government, UNFPA has been training imams from around the country on the benefits of family planning and pregnancy gaps in a bid to increase public awareness and reduce pregnancy-related maternal deaths.
However, health officials acknowledge the problems of reproductive health in rural areas go far beyond a lack of awareness or restrictive traditions.
Insecurity, the high prevalence of child marriages, the dearth of professional female health workers particularly outside urban areas, and the lack of roads in remote areas are some of the big challenges contributing to high maternal and infant mortality and morbidity,healthy officials say.
Speaking to Regina Maluga who visited brought her child to the hospital for treatment she said that her father was given a bride of 10 cows of which she has to give birth to 5 children’s meaning that two cows for one child.
Maluga explained that if she doesn’t give birth to five children that is equivalent to the 10 cows that was paid to her parents as bride then it’s a shame to the family.
“this bride issue of our parents accepting many cows its affected us seriously because even if we need to have few children its impossible because l have to pay the price of the bride given to my parents by delivering five children, “she explained
According to the Deputy head master of the school Joseph Lubeleo he said that HIV infection and early pregnancy in the school its in a low percentage and its because of the information provided by teachers and health staff.
He said that the way the information is delivered to the students in a reality way it has created fear to them in a way that they are afraid to tempt in sex involvement.
Giving details he said that since 2007 to 2010 those who were found pregnant were 9 students and were taken to cought although those students who were involved have escaped.
Lubelo added that the problem is many of the girls who are pregnant are not cooperative don’t mention the person involved instead they lie that the one who pregananted her was a business person who has already left the area.
On his part The Director for Bariadi Municipal said that the family planning education has to be provided to the men more instead of the women because the men seem to be sturbon on health issues.
He said that no matter how the woman would want to start family planning she can’t because the man needs more children.
On his part Nkololo dispensary Clinical officer Muhaloni Kicha said that many of the women cannot undergo any family planning because of their husbands who cannot allow them.
He said that the few women who undergo the family planning then they prefer having depo injection instead of pills so that their husbands could not find out.
Birth spacing through better pregnancy planning and the use of contraceptives is recommended by health experts and is believed to be instrumental in curbing preventable maternal mortality.
Birth spacing is also believed to lead to improved infant health, experts say.

Water crisis

can you drink this water? these women say the can. They use it for cooking, drinking and washing. Picture was taken at Tinde, Shinyanga

along the Nzega-Tinde highway

Idadi ya watu inakua kwa kasi

SHIJA FELICIAN RFA
Ongezeko la Idadi ya watu ni la kasi sana

Tatizo la ongezeko la watu kuzaa bila mpango katika wilaya ya Kahama. haliendani na upatikanaji wa huduma za msingi za binadamu mfano na afya elimu na hivyo kusababisha watu wengi wa wilaya hiyo kukosa huduma hizo na kukabiliwa na umasikini hasa kwa jamii iliyopo vijijini ambayo inaamini kuwa uzazi wa watoto wengi ni ufahari.

Kwa mujibu wa takwimu za watu na makazi wilaya ya Kahama inakadiliwa kuwa na watu karibu milioni moja ikiwa na wastani wa ongezeko la asilimia 3.3% na kufuatia ongezeko hilo ni pato la kila mtu kwa mwaka ni shilingi 250,000/= huku idadi ya Hospital, vituo vya afya, madawa na vifaa tiba na watumishi wa afya haziendani na ongezeko hilo sambamba na Shule pamoja na samani zake na walimu kuzidiwa na wingi wa watoto.

Hali hiyo imebainishwa na timu ya waandishi wa habari wa vyombo mbalimbali kutoka mikoa ya kanda ya ziwa na Magharibi, waliopo kwenye washa ya siku nne ya mpango wa uzazi inayoendeshwa na shirika la EngenderHealth na mradi wa ACQUIRE Tanzania kwa kushirikiana na watu wa Marekani, walipotembelea Hospitali ya wilaya hiyo kuona upatikanaji wa tiba kwa wagonjwa wanaofika hospitalini hapo na baadhi ya vituo vya afya na zahanati wilayani humo walipokuwa wakifuatilia suala la uelewa wa jamii kuhusiana na uzazi wa mpango unaotekelezwa na wizara ya afya na ustawi wa jamii kwa kushirikiana na wadau mbalimbali.

Wakiongea na waandishi hao kwa nyakati tofauti, baadhi ya akina mama waliokuwa kwenye kliniki hizo wamesema kuwa, suala la mpango wa uzazi wengi wao hawana mamlaka nalo isipokuwa waume zao ndio wenye mamlaka ya kupanga watoto wangapi wazae licha ya kuwa wanazaa kwa matatizo na kushindwa kuwahudumia watoto waliowazaa.

Kufuatia hali hiyo serikali kupitia mashirika mbalimbali ikiwemo watu wa Marekani katika mpango wake wa uzazi wa mpango, imekuwa ikifanya jitihada za kuhakikisha kuwa, jamii inapata elimu ya kutosha juu ya kupanga uzazi kwa hiari hali ambayo inapunguza mimba zisizokuwa za lazima.

Kwa mujibu wa muuguzi mkuu wa hospitali ya wilaya ya kahama Bi. Grace Kalimenze amesema kuwa wastani wa akina mama wanane hadi kumi wanafungiwa kizazi kila siku wengi wao wakiwa wamezaa watoto kuanzia wanne hadi kumi hali inayohatarisha maisha yao endapo wataendelea kuzaa.

Muuguzi huyo amesema kuwa tangu mpango huo uanze mwaka 2008 vifo vya akina mama wajawazito na kuharibika kwa mimba imepungua kutoka vifo 66 mwaka 2008 hadi 46 mwaka 2009.

Kutokana na ukubwa wa tatizo hilo shirika la EngenderHealth pamoja na mradi wa ACQUIRE Tanzania wanatoa elimu ya uzazi wa mpango kwa jamii kupitia vyombo vya habari na wadau wengine ili watu wanafamilia wapange kuwa na familia wanayoweza kuihudumia kulingana na uwezo walionao kwa kufuata njia salama za kuzuia mamba zisikzokuwa za lazima na kuondokana na baadhi ya mila zinazosema kuwa kila mtoto anakuja na riziki yake.

Mganga mkuu wa wilaya ya Kahama Dkt. Leonard Subi katika maelezo yake amesema kuwa kasi ya ufungaji kizazi inasua sua ikilinganishwa na takwimu za mwaka 2009 ambapo wanawake waliofunga kizazi walikuwa 294 huku wanaume waliojitokeza kufunga kizazi walikuwa ni watatu tu, hali inayoonesha kuwa bado kuna mahitaji ya kupeleka elimu zaidi kuhusu uzazi wa mpango.

Changamoto zilizopo kutokana na ukusefu wa elimu ya uzazi ni pamoja na vifo vya akina mama wajawazito wakati wa kujifungua na katika kipindi cha miaka miwili iliyopita akina mama 117 walifariki dunia idadi ambayo ni kubwa mno, hivyo waandishi wa habari kupitia mafunzo waliyopata kuhusu mpango wa uzazi wanapaswa kutumia taaluma yao kufikisha ujumbe huo kwa wananchi kwani wanauwezo mkubwa wa kufikisha ujumbe huo.

MWISHO

Umuhimu wa Uzazi wa Moango

Source:RK,LM (mpango wa Uzazi)
ED:
DATE: 09/06/2010
KAHAMA.
Baadhi ya wanawake walioanza kutambua umhimu wa uzazi wa mpango wilayani Kahama mkoani Shinyanga wamebainisha kuwa suala la uzazi usio wa mpango ni moja ya kikwazo kikubwa cha wao kutopata fursa ya kujihusisha na masuala ya kiuchumi

Bi.Ester Ngasa ni mkazi wa mjini Kahama na ambaye ni mmoja kati ya watu ambao kwa sasa anatambua umhimu wa kujiunga na uzazi wa mpango na kuwa miongoni wa watu wanaoweza kuhubiri faida za uzazi wa mpango katika suala zima la uzalishaji mali

Akizungumza na mwandishi wa makala haya Bi.Ester anaeleza kuwa baada ya kuelimishwa na kutambua umhimu wa uzazi wa mpango elimu aliyopata katika hospitali ya wilaya kupitia mpango wa uzazi chini ya Engenderheath kwa ufadhili wa watu wa marekani ameamua kumshirikisha mumewe ili wajiunge katika mpango huo

CUE IN---“ndiyo tulielewana na ndio maana mimi nikaanza…………

Bi Betha Julius ni mmoja wa watu waliokubali mpango huu wa uzazi wa mpango unaofadhiliwa na serikali ya watu wa Marekani na kuanza kuutumia ambapo akizungumzia zaidi mpango huu anabainisha jinsi ambavyo mtu anaweza akunufaika na mpango wa uzazi wa mpango

CUE IN: unazaa kwa wakati unaotaka mwenyewe…..

Naye Bi.Devotha Rutaiwa ni muuguzi katika hospitali ya wilaya ya Kahama ambaye pia ni mmoja kati ya watu waliopo katika mpango wa kuhamasisha uzazi wa mpango anaeleza jinsi hali ilivyokuwa wakati walipokuwa wakiaanza hamasa ya uzazi wa mpango wilayani Kahama
CUE IN: zamani tulikuwa tunapata wateja wachache ……..

Dr.Helen Yesaya ni mganga mfawidhi wa hospitali ya wilaya ya Kahama ambaye hapa anaeleza njia mbalimbali zinazotumika katika suala zima la uzazi wa mpango na njia zipi ambazo waliowengi wamekuwa wakizipendelea
Cue in: sisi tuna njia nyingi za uzazi wa mpango hapa kuna sindano………

Mwalimu Kalile toka shule ya msingi Busungu ni mmoja kati ya wanaume wachache ambao wameukubali mpango wa uzazi wa mpango na akiwa katika foleni ya kusubiri kufunga uzazi na maelekezo mbalimbali yahusuyo uzazi wa mpango anaeleza jinsi anavyoziona faida za uzazi wa mpango na kubainisha baadhi ya madhara ya uzazi usiozingatia masharti ya uzazi wa mpango

Cue in: katika ngazi ya familia uzazi wa mpango ni mhimu sana kwa maana kwamba kulingana na hali ya sasa hivi kiuchumi inawapain sana……

Hata hivyo wanawake waliowengi katika mazungumzo yao na mwaandishi wa makala haya walionesha kuwa wanahamu kubwa ya kutaka kujihusisha na masuala mengine ya uzalishaji mali katika jamii lakini kikwazo kikubwa ni mzigo mkubwa wa familia ambapo wanaume hubakia na jukumu la uzalishaji mali hali inayodaiwa wakati fulani kuleta manyanyaso kwa wanawake

Aidha mpango huu wa Engenderheath unaofadhiliwa na watu wa marekani kwa ushirikiano na serikali unatajwa kuwa na umhimu mkubwa sana kuleta hali ya wanafamilia kujitambua katika suala zima la uzazi ili kuweza kunufaika na faida za uzazi wa mpango hususa ni katika nyaja za kiuchumi

Katika suala zima la kuwa na afya njema kwa akina mama ni suala ambalo linaelezwa kuwa kupitia uzazi wa mpango wanaweza kuwa na afya njema zaidi kwani kunakuwa na matibabu na ushauri wa mara kwa mara kuhusiana na afya ya uzazi

EndS

Media briefs

Jambo Leo, June 19, 2010
Four women have been arraigned by the Dar-es-Salaam police for conducting illegal commercial sex work. (Commercial sex work is not allowed in Tanzania, by law).

Claudia Kayombo, in her commentary says school kid pregnancy is propelled by lack of dormitory facilities, not taking punitive measures against men who prey on younger girls, and poverty, polygamy, and lack of counselling by parents.

Uhuru, June 19, 2010
Solomon Mwansele reports from Mbeya that a man has been killed by an angry mob for, allegedly, raping a girl who is primary six.

Mwananchi, June 19, 2010
Jacson odoyo reports on allegations that negligence by nursing officers at Temeke district hospital was the cause of one pregnant mother who was admitted at the hospital. It alleged that on the day of her death the nurses had asked for a 10,000/= bribe, as part of services to get medicine for hypertension. The mother of the deceased said she could not raise that amount, the nurses were angry at that and one of theme said, "you think you are very clever, you will see what wll have happened when you come back tomorrow."

Mwananchi, June 20, 2010
A feature story by Danny MWaijega claims that statistics on school pregnancy are unrealiable. This is according to research conductd by the Tanzania MEdia Women Association, TAMWA.

Mwananchi, June 18, 2010
A news analysis by Florence Majani calls for forcing all men to impreginate women with disabilities to marry them. She thinks that the government has the responsibility to ensure that disabled women are taken care of by their lovers once they become pregnant for the situation causes untold problems to the women.

Mtanzania, June 14, 2010
The Feminist Activist Coalition of Tanzania has called on the president, Jakaya Kikwete, to review his statement that girls become pregnant because of their own carelessness. The statement released by the coalition says the president needed to make critical analysis of what cause teenage pregnancy, and that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that girls remained safe, especially those from poor families.

Nipashe, June 14, 2010
A letter to the editor alleges that pregnant women in Shinyanga are forced to pay bribes to medical staff. They bribes range from 500/= to 10,000/=. The officers, according to the letter, justify payment of the bribes to cover cost of supplies when a woman delivers.

MWananchi, June 11, 2010
lack of dormitory facilities and travelling long distance to schools are cited as main causes of school pregnancy in Shinyanga. It is also mentioned that non-provision of sexual and reproductive health education in schools was another cause for most children grow with poor knowledge of their sexuality.

Safer Sex

Time to make babies, but How safe is this sex

Clean water

A woman in Luguru ward in Bariadi getting water from a very unsafe water source. Can we get healthy mothers in such a situation where they lack access to clean and safe water?

young

Waiting for his wife to regain strength after a minor surgery to seal fallopian tubes for permanent acting family planning method.

They were found outside the Ngogwa ward dispensary in Kahama district soo after the operation.

Journalists listening Dr Sanga who explains achievements regarding family planning services at Ngogwa dispensary.

The visit was sponsered by EngenderHealth Tanzania, under their Media Champions Project

From Our Media

Journalists interviewing a school girl on Sexual Reproductive Issues, in Balangdalal, Hanang district.

Hanang as an infectious school preganancy "epidemic".

the visit was sponsored by Women's Dignity- based in Dar-es-Salaam

Married and dumped

Edina Kashaija (20) (see photo on the right when interviewed by journalists) is a young woman living at Ndama village in Karagwe district. after her prmary seven graduation, whe was betrothed and married to a police officer through a less binding traditional marriage. When she become pregnant and delivered, the husband walked out on her and went for another girl, and yet another girl, and yet another girl. It seem the man is a "serial killer," who hunts for virgin bodies and minds.
Edina, soon after her marriage, was informed that her primary seven examination results indicated that she passed for secondary school education entrance. but she would not join because she was expecting already, and the man would not allow that to happen. Since she was already out of school, the law would not protect her.

Myths about contracempptives

Moshi Yusuf (39), Kagongwa township, Kahama district

before finally settling on Contraceptives my peers had threatened me that taking the methods was dangerous for my health. They said, pills would make me bleed endlessly, or I would be miscarrying babies each time I get pregnant; some said the loop, will enter my body system and disappear which is dangerous as well. other said all women who take contraceptives want to flirt with other men. She said

, indeed one must no listen to less informed advices from neighbours and friends. her decision to contact the nearby dispensary, enabled her to make an informed choice (exerpt from an interview with the editor)

From Our Media

The Guardian, Friday June 11, 2010
The Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT), hospital plans a fund raising dinner for the construction of a new maternity ward in Dar-es-Salaam on June 11.

Nipashe, Monday 14th, 2010
The Feminist Activists Coalition (FEMACT) published a protest statement commenting on the speech by Jakaya Kikwete who, a week before, said it was only foolhardy on the part of the girls thems when they become pregnant when they are at their teen. He said the girls were the ones to blame for rushing into sex. FemACT demands the government look at kid pregnancy problem as caused by policy failure and poor resource investment in education sector.

Mwananchi, Friday 11th, June, 2010
It has been established that absence of dormitories for Ward schools' students is one of the causes for school-girls pregnancy pandemic. It was indicated that most girls travel long distances to the nearest schools which makes them susceptible to temptation or even rape by sex mongers. The story also alleges that some parents who do not want to send girls for higher education persuade their daughters to become less serious in studies and when sitting for their exams so that they fail and which will lift the burden of sending them for secondary education.

Nipashe, June 15th, 2010
There is a feature story discussing way out of the teenage pregnancy problem. The author considers it important that education policies and laws do also cover and protect out of school underage girls. Moroever, there must be a serious investment in education so that girls, upon graduation, must possess skills for self-employment, or paid jobs.

Tanzania Daima, June 15th, 2010
KIWOHEDE, a Dar-es-Salaam based gender/ girls activist NGO says it is still surprised seeing girls who give birth are not returned to school soon after they deliver. The NGO says it is saddened by the government indecision about the matte. about 6 girls in Ilala Municipal have not been readmitted as yet.

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

Indeed a very hard choice. A woman (identiy withheld) at Ngongwa village- Kaham district- being operated on for cauterization- permanent sterlization though sealing of fallopian tubes. Women would not be forced to undergo such operations- less painful though- if men were considerate and the culture allowed a democratic environment whereby wives had control over their bodies and sexuality, and men and women could be talking sexuality matters freely. (photo by charles kayoka)

My husband does not favour contraceptives

Elizabeth Yusuf (23)- a Kagongwa township resident. Elizabeth said she is married to a man who had ten children before their marital union. She had her out of wedlock kid and got one baby soon after marriage.
"indeed, the man made sure I was pregnant before introducing me to the in-laws. Yuo know the Sukumu take the issue of fertility for a woman very seriously. SO the man wanted to prove that I was fertile before he was allowed to marry me."

She said her husband wanted six children out of her, but she refused and settled for four. "I will get him two more children, and that is enough for me." However, she indicated they differed on the issue of contraceptive. The man is not in favour of modern methods of family planning and contraceptives. He forced her to use traditional charms- which some women among the Sukuma use. He went as far as getting the charms for her, and she had not way but to accept them. After a while she decided to go to the Kagongwa dispensary for expert advice and decided to us loop.

"My husband was vehementy opposed to using any of the modern methods. But I forced and decided to have a loop planted in me despite his opposition." She says the man thought modern methods were not as effective and could cause some problems in her.

"I will have the loop stay until the time i find conducive to have another baby," said Elizabeth.

Media Champions field tour

Journalists attending a four day orientation on Family Planning at Kahama district said the field visit to kahama district hospital and to Ngogwa dispensary enabled them get first hand information and knowldge on family planning and related issues.
during the post visit plenary discussions the journalists said visits to FP provision centres enabled them meet FP clients and learned how to interact with local communities. They said the visit proved to them that FP is such a wide area that one can decide to specialize on this field.
"There is so much to write about that you cannot exhaust the issues in one year," said one motivated journalist.
The training and the tour was coordinated by EngenderHealth Tanzania, and financially supported by the USAD.
charles kayoka

Facilitator at work

EngenderHealth Starts Media Champions Orientation

Key Objectives

- journalists understand the importance of Family Planning in national and community development

- journalists oriented on various methods and products of family planning

-journalists understand the role of media in promoting benefits of family planning

EngenderHealth Starts Media Champions Orientation

EngenderHealth Tanzania has started orientation session for media champions in the country. The media champions will be used to promote education about Family Planning and Sexual Reproductive health in Tanzania.,

The trainings, which have started at Kahama with about 25 journalists from five regions of Mwanza, kagera, Tabora, Shinyanga, Musoma and Kigoma, will be run in other zones of Dar-es-Salaam, Iringa, Arusha and Zanzibar.

Peleka watoto Clinic

Akina mama wadogo kama hawa ni lazima wawe wanapata nafasi ya kufundishwa muhimu wa kuwapeleka watoto clinic. (picha na charles kayoka)

I was raped

This girls is one of the many girls in both rural and urban centres who are raped and the community takes no action against the cullprits. She was raped at 14 years of age, while doing her primary sexi grade at Luguru Primary School, Bariadi district, Shinyanga.

Welcome, Karibu

Dear Family Planning community,
We welcome you all to the first ever blog on family planning and sexual reproductive health blog. This blog has been created by and for journalists with the sole purpose of uploading stories and features written by journalists and other members of the family planning community, and photographs about or related to Family Planning and sexual and reproductive health issues in Tanzania. We are interested on issues ranging from Family Planning and SRH in general, to specific issues like challenges, propospects, success stories. Culture and traditions, etc
Your host is Charles Mustapha Kayoka, a senior gender, communication management and media training specialist.