Online Reporter
Johnsias Mutonhori
THE Midlands Province, through the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC), is set to distribute the recently introduced contraceptive Sayana Press, a measure anticipated to significantly reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies.
The first rollout phase in the country was done in Bulawayo, Matabeleland South, Mashonaland East provinces while the second one included Manicaland, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland Central provinces.
The final phase now targets the four remaining provinces, which are Harare, Masvingo, Midlands and Matabeleland North provinces.
Sayana Press is a self-injectable contraceptive that can be administered outside health facilities. It is a subcutaneous injectable contraceptive that provides three months of pregnancy prevention per dose.
The self-care model will address key barriers such as long travel distances, provider shortages and stigma associated with seeking contraceptive services.
Speaking during the Sayana Press Self-Care sensitisation meeting on Wednesday, ZNFPC’s Midlands provincial monitoring and evaluation Officer, Mr Kudakwashe Mbedzi, expressed optimism about its potential to fill the void left by other contraceptives.
“Sayana Press is safe and highly effective at preventing pregnancy, simple to use, small and light, with a short needle and suitable for self-injection. It offers a convenient, effective, and user-friendly contraceptive option, particularly in remote or under-served areas,” he said.
“This will also lead to increased contraceptive access, enhance privacy, and require fewer clinic visits.”
Unlike the common Depo-Provera, Sayana has a shorter needle of 1cm compared to Depo-Provera’s 2,5cm-3,8cm. Sayana has a dose of 104 mg/0,65 mL, less than 150 mg/1 mL of Depo-Provera.
Sayana is believed to be less painful than Depo-Provera, an advantage that could attract more people.
Mr Mbedzi said Sayana Press will be accessed in all health centres that offer family planning services, complemented by training and demonstration to potential users.
“All health facilities that offer family planning services will be offering Sayana Press self-care. Health providers’ competency to provide self-care services will be assessed before users are initiated on the self-administered injection,” he said.
“The trained health service providers will introduce self-injection techniques to eligible clients at the initial visit, demonstrating steps in self-injection, re-injection, and infection prevention procedures.”
Mr Mbedzi said the introduction and provision of Sayana Press in the private sector pharmacies will only be done when the product is registered by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe for distribution by private sector facilities.
Community-based workers are currently disseminating information on Sayana Press and creating demand.
