The inhabitants and vulnerable population of Yaounde have been educated on the use and importance of contraceptives with regards to family planning and limiting the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

The exercise was part of activities to mark the commemoration of the 7th edition of the International World Day of Contraceptives, WDC, in Yaounde recently organised by the Cameroon Association for Social Marketing (ACMS).

Celebrated under the theme “It’s your life, your future; know your options,” the activities comprised interpersonal communication campaigns at various project sites nationwide and television broadcasts with the objective of improving awareness on contraceptives.

Speaking during the launching of the week long activities, the Assistant Project Coordinator and Directorof Health Women Project, Julliet Fai, said the goal of the commemoration of the WDC is to improve contraceptive awareness and to give room to women to be able to make appropriate choice on their sexual and reproductive health.

“In the domain of the promotion of family planning, ACMS offers a variety of contraceptive methods and service through different products with the aim of improving the health population of vulnerable Cameroonians. Women are more encouraged to use these contraceptives to avoid unwanted pregnancy and reduce abortion rates in the country,” Fai stated.

The WDC was launched in Cameroon in 2007 and is supported by the coalition of international non-governmental organisations, scientific and medical societies having interest in general health and reproduction. This year’s WDC comes on the heels of the AIDS-free holiday campaign.