UNITED Nations Population Fund reproductive health specialist Stephen Mupeta says Zambia needs a sustainable population which can only be attained through the use of family planning services.
Speaking in an interview with Femail recently, Dr Mupeta said Zambia should be concerned with the population that can be managed properly.
Dr Mupeta said the use of family planning services helps a country plan for its citizens and offer quality incentives. He said parents should also look at the cost implications of having so many children.
“Zambia should not be concerned with having a bigger population to fill up the vast land the country has but rather we need a population that is sustainable and one that enjoys quality life,” he said.
The doctor said failure by couples to plan has contributed to high maternal deaths in the country.
“You cannot compare the life of a woman to that of a block-making machine which can be repaired when it is unserviceable. The life of a woman cannot be replaced as she can die due to having many children.”
Dr Mupeta also said family planning is not meant to deter people from having children but rather to help them have families that they can easily manage.
Dr Mupeta has also dismissed claims that oral contraceptives do have long term side effects on girls who start taking them when they are younger.
Although, he said that minor side effects such as minor headache and weight gain are associated to contraceptive use.
“There has been a lot of talking on abstinence, unfortunately it has yielded nothing, the best thing is to advise girls to use contraceptives to avoid them dropping out of school,” Dr Mupeta said.
Dr Mupeta is of the view that girls should not shun birth controls due to the myths that they can be sterile in future.
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