Course

Welcome to the Family Planning module of the HEAT Programme.

Ethiopia leads sub-Saharan Africa with one of the highest population sizes in Africa. During the second Ethio-Italian war (1935–1941), the population size of Ethiopia was estimated to be only about 15 million people; 45 years later it had reached 41 million (1984 national census) and currently in 2010 it is 76 million.

Taking into account this rapid population growth, the Government of Ethiopia approved the National Population Policy in 1993. Their rationale was to harmonise the rate of population growth in parallel with socio-economic development.

Family planning and the family planning service have a huge contribution to make in fostering the economic development of this country through controlling population size, as well as improving the quality of life and health of individuals and families.

The role of health professionals in balancing population growth with socioeconomic development is immense and only possible by using family planning as a principle and different contraceptive methods as tools. As a Health Extension Practitioner, you can contribute to balanced population growth through mobilising the community at large.