Uganda keen to give off population renegade tag

Uganda’s fertility rate has maintained the pre pandemic pattern of declining with the latest statistics from the world bank putting it at 4.4 births per woman.

It’s noted that from the early 90’s right through early 2000’s Uganda developed a reputation of being a population renegade as its fertility rate continued to threaten the 7.0 births per woman mark.

This comes amidst a message from the president Museveni speech who made it clear that a big population translated into a big workforce and market.

Statistics however show that it has dropped from 6.48 births per woman in 2006 to 4.4 births per woman in 2022.

The country however remains a population renegade in Eastern Africa.

Family planning 2030 a global initiative that advances rights based family planning says Ugandan government has committed to increase the modern contraceptive rate for all women from 30.4 percent in 2020 to 39.6 percent by 2025.

This is however intended to reduce the unmet need for contraceptives from 17 percent in 2020 to 15 percent by 2025.

According to Dr Mary Otieno the United Nations population fund representative last week said that besides saving and improving lives, reproductive health services can enhance the efficiency and impact for change at state level.

Dr Herbert Luswata the Uganda Medical Association’s secretary general said Uganda should strive to decrease women fertility rate to 4.0 births per woman.