THE message about the importance of birth control has been preached over and over again, but the number of women using any form of contraception is still very low - at 24%.

There are many reasons for this, most common of them, the lack of the right information to people, especially among the rural poor where birth control desperately needs to be practised. Women fear that there are severe adverse side-effects, including barrenness that could befall them.

This kind of thinking should prompt the Government and all stakeholders to readress the issue of contraceptive use; and start mass sensitisation campaigns. Even men should be told the advantages of child spacing so that the few women who opt for birth control do not have to do it in secret.

Uganda can also borrow a leaf from Kenya, where early child nutrition lessons are given to mothers and these talks are punctuated with lessons on the advantages of birth control. The children are also given nutritious food supplements like porridge when they visit the centre. As a result, more and more women are using contraception.

If, so far, the message has not hit home, perhaps its time all the stakeholders came together and see how a similar programme can work for Uganda.