Most women and girls in Ndirande Township, Blantyre City, are opting for short-term family planning methods, with contraceptive injections emerging as the most preferred option, a visit to Banja la Mtsogolo (BLM) Clinic has revealed.
According to BLM officials, the majority of clients also seek consent from their husbands before accessing family planning services.
"At Ndirande Banja la Mtsogolo Clinic, most women and girls prefer short-acting hormonal methods such as injectables and oral contraceptives," said Thodi, a representative of the organisation. "These are followed by long-acting reversible contraceptive methods like implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs)."
BLM offers a wide range of reproductive health services, including female sterilisation, post-partum intrauterine devices, lactational amenorrhea method (LAM), and vasectomy for men, among others.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
However, Thodi noted that very few women in Ndirande opt for permanent methods such as tubal ligation.
"We respect and value clients' choices after proper counselling, allowing them to decide on the method that best suits their needs," he said.
One woman, Tadala Lekeleni, who is married with four children, said she accessed family planning services with her husband's consent, though the decision was not easy.
"My husband eventually agreed, even though he was initially uncomfortable. At the time, we already had three children, and I became pregnant again while breastfeeding. After discussions, he gave me his blessing to go for family planning," she said.
Another resident, Olivia Chidengu, said misconceptions among men remain a major barrier to women's access to family planning.
"We agreed as a couple to focus on business after securing a loan. When I raised the issue of family planning, he later accused me of wanting to be 'loose' during business trips. It took long discussions for him to understand and accept," she explained.
Mai a Judi echoed similar sentiments, saying fear of negative perceptions from husbands discourages many women from seeking family planning services.
"Some men believe that women who use family planning become morally loose, which is not true. I faced the same challenge, but after explaining the benefits, my husband accepted, and I went ahead," she said.
Health expert Maziko Matemba said women and girls have a constitutional right to access health care services, including family planning.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"Access to reproductive health services is a right enshrined in the Constitution, and women and girls should be supported, not hindered, in making informed health decisions," he said.
