Zimpapers Logo

Thandeka Moyo, Health Reporter
GIRLS from as young as nine years in Zimbabwe resort to using contraceptives to avoid menstruation due to the high prices of sanitary pads, an official has said.

In an interview on Wednesday, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Ms Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, said the development was worrying as it jeopardises the sexual reproductive health of such children.

Specialists say taking contraceptives at an early age can cause impaired bone density, altered brain structure, increased risk of depression, suppressed libido and may cause future child birth complications for young women.

Ms Misihairabwi-Mushonga said: “I met girls that are aged from nine to 14 years that have resorted to using contraceptives to avoid their periods because they have no access to resources. When a girl uses contraceptives at such an early age, she messes up her reproductive health system.”

She said the girl’s cycle can never be properly organised and she develops more reproductive health problems in the long run .

Ms Misihairabwi-Mushonga said there were new products in the market that could save girls from the dilemma though policy makers were still reluctant to scrap off duty on sanitary pads.

“When we had the 2016 budget, the Minister of Finance (Patrick Chinamasa) said he had removed duty on all things that are imported to produce sanitary pads. It is law in this country but the implementation has been problematic,” she said.

“I don’t know what Zimra is supposed to do which they haven’t done but duty on sanitary pads should just be scrapped.”

According to Ms Misihairabwi-Mushonga, young women can invest in sanitary cups which can be used for up to 10 years.

“It costs $15 and if they remove duty it may go down to $6. One of the conversations we are having with the Minister is to do with suspending duty for at least five years to give time for businesses to open companies that produce sanitary pads here,” she said.

Birth control pills which are the cheapest type of contraception cost 50 cents in Zimbabwe while the cheapest pack of disposable sanitary pads costs an average of $1,50.

A Bulawayo gynaecologist said it is important for children to have periods during their early lives as they contribute to their physical development.

“Yes it is true that women can use the birth control pills to stop menstruation but that should be a short term measure. Using contraceptives at an early age eventually leads to slow development and may cause future child birth complications,” he said.

“Contraceptives may also lead to high risk of depression, low sex drive and an impaired bone density.”

According to the gynaecologist, young women should rather use clean sheets of clothing than resort to contraceptives.

Ms Lindile Ndebele, a menstrual hygiene advocate, said: “I think as a country we have failed because since 2013 we have been having discussions on how to make sanitary pads available but nothing has been done. We have seen many girls who use contraceptives and sadly this set up encourages them to engage in risky sexual behaviours and increase their risk of contracting HIV”.

She added: “So by taking these contraceptives, young women jeopardise their sexual and reproductive health and it is worrying.”

She said the problem was affecting girls nationwide not just the ones in rural areas.

“We have had numerous debates in Parliament and I guess the only thing we can do is keep on advocating with the hope that one day our girls will have a breakthrough,” said Ms Ndebele.

Efforts to get comments from the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council were fruitless as they had not responded to questions emailed to them by the time of going to Press.

@thamamoe