UNFPA donates contraceptives to SVG

Family Programme Coordinator in the Ministry of Health, Sister Naomi Prince, is thanking the UNFPA, the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, for a large donation of female and male contraceptives to this country.{{more}}

On Tuesday, November 9, Prince told SEARCHLIGHT that the Ministry of Health’s family planning efforts are being strengthened with the donation of contraceptives which includes 5,000 sets of Depo-Provera and syringes, 5,000 sets of Noristerat and syringes and 10,000 cycles of microgynon, 9,000 female condoms and 7,200 male condoms from UNFPA.

“We are grateful to UNFPA for these contraceptives because they are not cheap. They are expensive and Government spends quite a lot to provide reproductive services to the people in the reproductive age group,” said Prince.

She stated that the donation complements the products that her department already has.

Prince expressed that this would go a long way in preventing her department from running out of stock.

According to Prince, the pelvic models and dildos in the package will be useful when the Family Planning Department is conducting training and demonstrations.

She lauded the UNFPA for its efforts over the years in providing support to St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

“They have been one of our longstanding partners over the years. They have been providing technical support and training,” said Prince, noting that the donation was made as a result of the ongoing relationship and the need to strengthen reproductive services and assist St.Vincent and the Grenadines in meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

Prince explained that the contraceptives will allow women and their families in St.Vincent and the Grenadines to address their family needs and exercise their right to decide the number, spacing and timing of their children.

The UNFPA’s efforts are in fulfillment of the commitment made by 179 governments around the world in 1994 in Cairo, Egypt, when they agreed to provide universal access to a full range of safe and reliable family planning methods, and related reproductive and sexual health services by 2015.

Prince explained that fulfilling this commitment is important in tackling critical reproductive health challenges, such as reducing unwanted pregancies and preventing maternal mortality and the disease burden of women.

UNFPA works with governments worldwide to ensure that all individuals can obtain and use affordable, quality reproductive health commodities of their choice, whenever they need them.

As part of their effort, UNFPA routinely supplies governments with reproductive health commodities including equipment; pharmaceuticals and supplies for obstetric and maternal health care; the prevention diagnosis and management of reproductive tract infections and sexually transmitted infections; and contraceptives, including male and female condoms.(HN)