‘Family planning is more than making babies’
The National Family Planning Board is shooting for a fertility rate of two children per woman in a decade, having already eclipsed its 2005 target.
The board made the announcement as it announced activities for Family Planning Week, being observed from October 24 to 31 under the theme: ‘Planning Your Family – More Than Making Babies’.
Jamaica now has a fertility rate of 2.5, a position that the board had projected the country would have reached next year, as outlined in the National Population Policy.
“Leading from this, we are aiming to get to replacement level fertility, which is two children per woman in another 10 years,” said NFPB communications officer, Dianne Thomas.
Family planning week events for the rest of the week include a male conference entitled: ‘Who is the leader – Your buddy or your brain?’ on October 28 at the Jamaica Conference Centre.
Panellists include Dr Peter Weller, counsellor at the University Health Centre; Dr George Leverage, psychiatrist; and Rev Al Miller from Whole Life Ministries.
More than 150 persons are expected to attend.
The board will also launch a video today, have ‘open house’ at Sylvan Road, Kingston offices, and distribute condoms from various points islandwide.
For this particular activity, parish health departments as well as other health related organisations, such the Trelawny AIDS Committee and Jamaica Family Planning Association (FAMPLAN), will assist the board.
