Dear WVD community,
In our country of approximately 45.9 million people, where 50.5% are below the age of 17 and 22.7% between 18 and 30 years of age, you wouldn’t think a vasectomy would be the first thing you’d talk about when discussing family planning, but as is the case all over the world, there’s a new generation of men, albeit a minority, who are less rooted in traditional ideas of masculinity. These men do not define themselves by the numbers of children they have, but by the quality of life they are able to provide those they have. For these men, vasectomy provides an appealing option, and they motivate our work here.
We believe that men, just like children and women, need to have a defined service package in the health facilities. This will go a long way in improving their health-seeking behavior and widening their health knowledge base. As WVD in Uganda we believe that with the work we do, the lives of men in Uganda will be improved, and that in the end we shall have better health and development for everyone.
The WVD Uganda team, with support from our Global team, continuously innovates ways not only to share the right family planning messages to the men in the country but also to work with existing vasectomy providers to ensure that men get the best care after deciding to get a vasectomy. Working with existing clinics is a way of strengthening public sector health systems.
We have used both traditional and non-traditional mobilization methods to engage with men whose families are complete and share with them the benefits of getting a vasectomy. These benefits are not just for themselves but also for the families and communities they live in. Following this initiative, we have started building the Uganda Responsible Men’s Club, following in Zambia’s footsteps.
As we embark on a plan to expand our outreach to more men, our goal is to: enhance partnerships with the Ministry of Health and other key stakeholders, train doctors in providing the gentle, no-scalpel vasectomy, and encourage men to speak to others about their choice to control their fertility.
Thank you all for the continued support, and enjoy this edition.
