MUKONO – The District Health Officer (DHO), Mr. Eli Mushabe has asked health workers in Mukono district to market IntraUterus Devices (IUDs) as the best family planning method to women who come seeking for family planning services.
Mr. Mushabe said: “As clinical Officers, you should market IUDs because they are the best family planning methods since they are not hormonal.”
IUDs are a small T-shaped birth control device that is inserted into a woman’s uterus to prevent pregnancy.
Mr. Mushabe made the remarks during a health meeting that was organized by Action 4 Health Uganda at the Mukono district offices.
He also asked them not to accept any family planning stock with a shelf life of 6 months and below because once they expire while still in their custody, they will pay for them.
He said: “ You should not accept any family planning stock that is 6 months and below.”
“Because If you do and they expire while still in your custody, you will pay for them.” He added.
During the meeting, the health workers shared with him some of the challenges they face at their health centres like understaffing.
Juliet Asimwe a health worker at Mukono Health Center IV said that they have a challenge of understaffing where she said that they have one to two midwives who know about family planning and yet there is a lot of work to do.
“We only have one midwife with the knowledge of administering IUDs at our health centre yet there is a lot of work to do.” She said.
Mr. Tom Kambugu the Central Region Manager Population Services International (PSI) raised his concerns as to why the private health sector is working better than the government health sector.
Ms. Ruth Nakanjuko, a Health Inspector in Mukono said: “The reason why the private health sector is performing better than the government health sector is that the government health workers send these women to the private ones once the family planning stock is finished.
She, therefore, urged health workers to monitor their stock before it runs out.
Through research, Mr. Kambugu also noticed that the various health centres in Mukono district are mostly administering injector plan and pills to women and not IUDs.
Ms. Samali Musenero the district councillor in charge of health asked health workers to monitor their stock so as to see that they don’t run out.
“You need to monitor what you stock to avoid issues of stock-outs.” She said.
She also urged them to conduct meetings at their health centres to overcome the challenge of stock out.
“Conduct either weekly or quarterly meetings with your colleagues to discuss things that affect you” Ms. Musenero said.
“This will help you know how you will run your week and also enable you to monitor the flow of services at your health centre,” she added.
