In Uganda as in many cultures, men are the major decision makers concerning health issues in families. Their limited involvement in activities relatin to the care of their wives and new born children means that they are uninformed about many details concerning reproductive health and child bearing.
A lack of male involvement in health issues means a low number of men encourage and support their partner and their peers to use family planning and influence the policy environment to be more conducive to developing male-related programs at community level.
Kakaire Jude of Kawanda is a father of two. He says he takes his children for immunization, accompanies his wife when she is pregnant to antenatal care and gets counseling from health workers about preventing mother to child transmission (PMTCT) and other related health issues.
Kakaire says that some men are illiterate and come from a culture where they believe in traditional birth attendants and the small gods (i.e witchcraft), which they worship and think can help in labor pains. He adds that they remove themselves from their responsibility and send their wives back to their parents, especially when they are pregnant.
Sometimes, dialouge between couples is a problem. Alcohol also plays a role in preventing men from being involved in family affairs as most of the time they may be drunk, leaving women do the necessary things, he adds.
Men cannot share responsibility of reproductive health and family planning if services and information do not reach them.
Although engaging men as partners is a critical component in the PMTCT program, their involvement has been low. Measures to increase male partners’ involvement in health programmes have not been explored in Uganda.
