MARTIN MAWAYA
GWERU–Zimbabwe is expanding access to family planning through the rollout of Sayana Press self-care, a contraceptive option that health officials say could help close persistent gaps in sexual and reproductive health services for rural and marginalized women.
Sayana Press self-care is a subcutaneous injectable contraceptive (DMPA-SC) administered every three months.
Prefilled and ready to use, it features a shorter needle and causes less discomfort.
The method has been hailed for expanding contraceptive choice while easing pressure on health facilities.
Speaking during a journalists sensitization meeting in Gweru on Wednesday, the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) said the method widens contraceptive choice and reduces barriers linked to distance, cost, and stigma, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.
“Sayana Press self-care takes services closer to women who would otherwise struggle to reach health facilities,” said Karen Dzuke, ZNFPC Midlands provincial manager. “It supports informed choice and continuity of use, reducing unnecessary clinic visits, especially in rural and resettlement communities.”
Dzuke said the method is suitable for most women, including breastfeeding mothers after six weeks, women who cannot use oestrogen-based methods, and those living with HIV who are on antiretroviral treatment.
Nationally, Zimbabwe’s modern contraceptive prevalence rate stands at 53% among all women and 69% among married women, one of the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.
However, the unmet need for family planning remains around 9%, reflecting inequities in access, inadequate counselling, social stigma, and limited youth-friendly services.
Kudakwashe Mbedzi, ZNFPC Midlands Provincial Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, said self-care innovations such as Sayana Press are critical in closing the access gap.
“This method is simple, discreet, and less painful, which improves acceptability and continuation,” Mbedzi said. “Expanding Sayana Press will help meet demand while easing pressure on clinics.”
He added that scaling up Sayana Press would support Zimbabwe in meeting its FP2030 commitments by expanding coverage and improving the quality of care.
Mbedzi also emphasized the importance of policy support to maximize the method’s impact.
This includes developing a national scale-up roadmap for DMPA-SC, updating task-shifting guidelines to allow community-based distribution of injectables, approving self-injection protocols, and revising regulations to enable pharmacies and accredited institutions to stock and sell the product.
Increasing domestic funding for family planning, he added, is critical to enhancing sexual and reproductive health outcomes.
“Supportive policies will determine how far and how fast we reach women who need these services most,” Dzuke said.
Health stakeholders also urged the media to counter myths and misinformation around contraception, saying accurate reporting is essential for informed decision-making.
With total demand for family planning exceeding 80% in provinces such as Midlands, authorities say Sayana Press self-care is a practical tool to advance women’s health, autonomy, and national development goals.
