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Andrew Chimedza Harare Bureau
OBSTETRICIANS and gynaecologists have expressed outrage over sentiments by Registrar General Tobaiwa Mudede urging women to abandon the use of hormonal contraceptives.
Mudede, who has been fighting the use of such contraceptives over a long period, appeared before a parliamentary portfolio committee last week where he asked the government to ban the pills, which he said were harmful.
The Zimbabwe Society for Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ZSOG) said in a statement yesterday that Mudede’s sentiments were dubious and misleading.
“It’s against this background that we’re concerned by the statement by Mr Mudede and his statement is unfortunate as it contains a lot of erroneous conclusions based on dubious scientific information,” said the doctors.
“The use of Jadelle (one of the contraceptives) is definitely not banned in the US and obviously wrong information can’t go unchallenged for it’s bound to cause confusion, alarm and despondency among women who are currently using hormonal contraception.
“As ZSOG, we encourage all the women currently on hormonal contraception to continue using them as prescribed by their doctors. Anyone who has concerns should contact their doctors for advice at their earliest convenience.”
The gynaecologists said hormonal contraception had been in use since the 19th Century and was one of the great successes of preventive medicine the medical fraternity had ever known.
“The benefits of hormonal contraception are numerous and they include reducing blood loss in women with heavy periods, making periods less painful and protecting women against womb, ovarian and large bowel cancers,” the gynaecologists.
Contraception, they said, had been shown to lower maternal deaths due to complications from short-interval pregnancies, unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions which desperate women may end up resorting to.
“These conclusions are supported by robust scientific data from local and international research,” the gynaecologists said. “Like any medication, hormonal contraception has side effects and women are clearly counselled about these before they opt to use them.”
Speaking before the parliamentary portfolio committee on Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development chaired by Cde Beatrice Nyamupinga, Mudede said Jadelle and other modern methods of contraception were being promoted by the West in an effort to depopulate developing nations.
In the past, he has argued that the “sinister” agenda by Western countries is meant to retard development in poor countries and weaken them defensively by ensuring their populations are too small to stand against bigger nations.
Online Reporter