The Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene launched, on Thursday, October 24, 2024 in Bama, the National Family Planning Week. This edition is coupled with World Breastfeeding Week, as well as screenings for female cancers, STIs/HIV and viral hepatitis, and takes place from October 21 to 27, 2024 throughout the national territory.
Bama is a rural commune located about twenty kilometers from Bobo-Dioulasso. It has 12 Health and Social Promotion Centers (CSPS) and a Medical Center (CM) located in the city. According to the head physician of the medical center, Dramane Sourabié, this health structure is experiencing difficulties in terms of equipment, infrastructure and personnel.
In addition to traditional health services, the CM offers a full range of family planning services.
In 2023, the medical center received 170 new users of family planning services and 350 former users. But, according to Mr. Sourabié, the CM does not have a room specifically dedicated to family planning.
To address this shortcoming,
the CM opened a listening and dialogue center for young people in Bama, and wanted partners to support the structure in equipping it.
In addition to this wish, the chief physician requested the resolution of equipment, infrastructure and personnel issues so that the center improves the health of the population and effectively plays its role in family planning.
This message was conveyed to the authorities who visited the medical centre before proceeding with the launch of the National Family Planning Week, at a site located a stone’s throw from the medical centre.
On site, stands displaying contraceptive products have been set up, and health workers are conducting awareness campaigns among a mainly female audience.
This week, which began on Monday, October 21, 2024, will run until October 27, 2024 throughout the national territory.
During this period, according to the Director General of Health and Public Hygiene, Joseph Soubeiga, there will be awareness campaigns on family planning, advocacy, and screeni
ng for precancerous lesions of the cervix, hepatitis or HIV/AIDS.
Free health services
Care will be provided free of charge in public and private health facilities during this period.
At the launch of National Family Planning Week, coupled with World Breastfeeding Week, screening for female cancers, STIs/HIV and viral hepatitis, the village chief of Bama, Oumarou Sanou, and the President of the special delegation (PDS) of the commune, Felix Bayé, expressed their hope that the difficulties encountered by health centers, particularly the CM, would be resolved.
The PDS expressed its gratitude to the Ministry of Health and its technical partners for the efforts made to provide quality care to the populations, and urged them to facilitate the work of health workers and to participate massively in the various campaigns initiated by the Ministry of Health. Felix Bayé welcomed the presence of the mobile clinic bus in Bama.
It was the Secretary General of the Hauts-Bassins region, Abraham Sondo, who launched the
National Family Planning Week.
For him, this campaign is part of the government’s overall vision which aims to improve the health conditions of the population, particularly those of mothers and children.
“We have come to launch an appeal for massive support from the population through mobilization, because the National Family Planning Week represents an effort by the government and its partners, and we must support them to make family planning a great success,” declared the Secretary General.
The regional health director of Hauts-Bassins, Yeri Silvie Traoré, also called on the population to participate in the activities of the National Family Planning Week, in order to contribute to the reduction of maternal and infant mortality and to improve the health indicators of the region.
Source: Burkina Information Agency