AEGiS-NV: Ugandan Women Shun Use Of Contraceptives

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Ugandan Women Shun Use Of Contraceptives

The New Vision (Uganda) - Wednesday, May 31, 2000

Kampala (New Vision, May 31, 2000) - The rate of contraceptive use in Uganda is very low due to inadequate education and their inaccessibility. Dr Florence Mirembe, a senior lecturer at Makerere University, said the low usage had led to unsafe motherhood. She said between 4% and 15% of Ugandans use contraceptives and that 25-35% of all mothers who die of pregnancy-related complications die from induced abortion.

Mirembe was addressing women religious leaders on the theme, "Status and challenges of reproductive health and reproductive rights issues in the Buganda Kingdom." She said nearly two million people were infected with HIV and 350,000 already have AIDS.

She said a half of the victims were youth with a male to female ratio of 1:4 among teenagers compared to a 1:1 among adults.

She said this was mainly caused by the socio-economic factors, especially the phenomenon of sugar daddies, women's inferior socio-economic position and inability to earn or control income, and the culture that puts girls at a disadvantage.

Mirembe said the harmful cultures included being faithful to submissive to male partners for sex.

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