Ambassador Alphons Hennekens receiving an award

The Netherlands Ambassador to Uganda Alphons Hennekens  calls for a concerted effort to make men and boys aware of the need for family planning and support of the use of contraceptives. Ambassador Alphons made the remarks while reacting to media reports that about 70% of women use contraceptives without the consent of their husbands.

He says that men should know that the use of family planning and contraceptives will lower the fertility rate, reduce unsafe abortions and maternal morbidity. He says that if Uganda wants to achieve a middle income status by 2020 and the population growth has to go down.

The Ambassador was also concerned about the reports of faulty x-rays lying at district hospitals, noting that this could be caused by gaps and weakness in accountability management and governance system in government agencies and ministries.

This was at the closure of the three and half year Link up Project, implemented by partners of the International HIV Alliance, and coordinated by Community Health Alliance Uganda (CHAU). The project was aimed at increasing access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and HIV services, commodities and information for young people living with and most affected by HIV in Uganda.