By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
FERTILITY clinics are to be introduced in all provinces after a recent showing that cases of women unable to conceive are rising, Health minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya has said.
Rising infertility levels lead to stigma against the affected women in various societies.
Although Zambia has generally been mentioned among countries with the fastest growing population in the world, the number of children per woman dropped from 5.9 in 2011 to 5.6 in 2016, according to the Zambia Data Portal of the Central Statistics Organisation.

.Dr Chilufya

Infertility in Zambia also accounts for 10 to 15 per cent of the outpatient gynecology clinic attendance in Zambia according to the ministry of Health.
At a recent forum held in Dubai, the United Emirates, Merck Foundation chief executive officer Rasha Kelej said women suffered discrimination and violence due to their inability to have children.
Merck Foundation therefore in partnership with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), conducted ‘Merck More Than a Mother’ panel at their regional conference 2018, in Dubai.
The high-level panel discussion included Sarah Opendi, minister of State of Health, Uganda, Zuliatu Cooper, minister of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone, Margaret Mensah-Williams, chairperson of
National Council of Namibia, Chilufya, and Dr Kelej.
“Merck Foundation is dedicated to empowering women who suffer discrimination and violence due to their inability to bring children, by creating the cultural shift to break the infertility stigma at all
levels, not only in Africa, but in Asia, Latin America and everywhere it is needed,” Dr Kalej said.
Dr Chilufya said infertility was one of the major health problems in Zambia, and it was not only affecting the physical health, but also the mental well-being and social status, of childless women.
He said women often became invisible to the society, and were often reluctant to come out in open to seek help because of the social stigma associated with infertility.
Dr Chilufya said the Government would soon introduce fertility clinics in all provinces as part of enhanced reproductive health services Dr Chilufya said infertility was not only a public health challenge but a socio-cultural and emotional issue that had led to gender based violence, the spread of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases due to multiple sexual partners in search of children and property grabbing after the demise of a spouse.
According to the Index Mundi of 2017, fertility rates in Asia and Africa have generally reduced to 4.4 children per woman, but Southern Africa remains top with the highest number of children.
Zambian women have 5.6 children per woman with Lusaka Province recording the lowest of 4.4 children per woman and Luapula Province the highest with 6.8 children per woman.`