Over 4,000 Rwandan men opt for permanent birth control ‘Vasectomy’

By The Inspirer.

The Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) reports that as of December 20, 2023, a total of 4,311 Rwandan men had undergone permanent birth control procedures as part of the country’s family planning initiatives.

In its annual statistical report accompanying the close of 2024, RBC highlighted a consistent increase in participation in family planning programs across various methods.

By the end of 2023, 1,961,388 individuals were enrolled in family planning programs, with 685,916 joining that year alone. The most popular method was contraceptive implants, used by 816,444 people, including 226,002 new users.

For men opting for permanent sterilization (vasectomy), the numbers increased by 178 in 2023. However, vasectomy remains the least adopted family planning method compared to other options.

Joël Serucaca, the Director of Family Planning at RBC, attributed the low uptake of vasectomy to misconceptions, with many men believing it reduces sexual desire.

“This method involves sealing the vas deferens, but it does not affect a man’s ability to engage in sexual intercourse with his partner,” Serucaca explained.

“We do not perform major surgery; it is a minor procedure where we cut a small section of the vas deferens. The man can return home the same day, although we recommend waiting at least seven days before engaging in any physical activity.”

The report revealed a steady increase in the number of men opting for vasectomy in recent years. In 2019, 3,506 men had undergone the procedure, rising to 3,650 in 2020, 3,817 in 2021, and 4,229 in 2022.

In 2023, other family planning methods were also widely used. Pills were used by 338,113 people, condoms by 45,970, and traditional methods by 25,457. Injectable contraceptives (Depo-Provera) were particularly popular, with 652,083 users, including 219,517 new adopters during the year.

theinspirerpublications@gmail.com