Lylie Joel 

NKURENKURU – More than 150 women from Bunya village and surrounding areas in the Kavango West have had the Copper Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) inserted since its introduction at the Osaat clinic in November 2024. 

The non-hormona l contraceptive offers women protection against falling pregnant for up to 10 years. 

This milestone was achieved through a permanent clinic established by the Osaat Africa Health Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded in 2019 to address gaps in Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) education, provide copper IUCD clinics, and develop digital health solutions. 

The foundation focuses on marginalised communities, empowering individuals with knowledge and resources for better access to healthcare. 

The clinic aims to introduce a safe, effective and long-term contraceptive solution for women and girls in the region, which has recorded Namibia’s highest teenage pregnancy rate at 26.4%, according to information from the Director of Education for Kavango West, Pontianus Musore. 

“The copper IUCD is a T-shaped device placed in the uterus, offering a safe and non-hormonal contraceptive option for up to a decade,” Osaat Africa Health Foundation operations manager Valeria Chomore said. 

The clinic’s efforts have been transformative, particularly for women like Beata Sikongo, a 32-year-old mother of nine and grandmother, who highlighted the barriers she and others face in accessing contraceptives. 

“We don’t have money to travel to facilities where family planning programmes are available. Lack of information about methods like the IUCD has also kept us from seeking appropriate help,” Sikongo said. 

In addition to financial constraints, women in Bunya village face logistical challenges such as long distances to health facilities and cultural obstacles, including religious beliefs that discourage contraceptive use. 

Celine Karupu, an Osaat volunteer, said some nearby health centres, especially those run by the Roman Catholic Church, do not offer family planning services. 

As a result, women often travel to towns like Rundu, incurring huge expenses in the process, and sometimes encounter ing s er vi ce limitations, such as the absence of doctors. 

For 25-year-old Sirka Mateus, a mother of three, these challenges have made access to reliable contraception programmes nearly impossible. 

“When you finally get money, you may find no doctor, and you must return to the village without getting any help,” she said. 

The clinic has recorded an average of two children per woman aged 15 to 18, four to five children for those aged 20 to 29, and up to nine children for women above 30 – many of whom come from households with no stable incomes. 

During IUCD insertions, the clinic observed that some women used traditional substances as makeshift contraceptives, leading to unintended pregnancies. 

This highlighted the need for accessible, reliable contraceptive solutions. 

The Osaat Africa Health Foundation says it remains committed to bridging the gaps in SRH services for underserved communities. 

The foundation hopes to empower women with essential knowledge on reproductive health, and provide long-term solutions that would improve their quality of life. -Nampa