| Abstract: | This brief article focuses on the history of family planning in Zimbabwe, available services, community-based distribution, contraceptive use, and program problems. Family planning services were first available in Zimbabwe in 1953. The Rhodesian Family Planning Association (RFPA) was established formally in 1965. RFPA distributed contraceptives in 1966 and trained for the first time "field educators" in 1967. The first community-based distributors were trained in 1972. The Ministry of Health integrated the RFPA into its department in 1981. In 1985, the family planning association became a parastatal and was renamed the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC). Services today are provided through 37 family planning clinics. The distribution of contraceptives includes IUDs, condoms, pills, and injectables. Harare and Bulawayo centers receive referrals and perform tubal ligation, vasectomy, and infertility counseling. 700 community-based distributors (CBDs) received a 6-week training course in order to educate about oral contraceptives, encourage their use, and screen clients for high blood pressure and side effects for oral contraceptives. CBDs use bicycles to make home visits and also have access to motorcycles. Each CBD averages 135 clients/month. Most visits are revisits. CBDs provided 25.3% of family planning in 1988. Local clinics provided 19.1% of family planning. Ministry of Health facilities provided 14.8% of services. ZNFPC clinics provided 13.7% of services. Private doctors or pharmacies provided 2.3% of services. 38% of women currently in a union used family planning in 1984, and 43% used it in 1988. 36% in 1988 used modern methods. The pill was the most common method, followed by withdrawal. Logistics of supplies and equipment remain problematic. |
