Kalangala District is grappling with a shocking trend where young girls are mixing Paracetamol, commonly known as Panadol, with milk in a desperate and misguided attempt to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
This alarming practice, This website has learnt, is widespread across the district’s remote landing sites and is largely driven by limited access to reliable contraceptive options.
Namuli (not her real name), a 19-year-old from Bufumira Sub-county, recounted her harrowing experience.
“When I dropped out of school last year, I started engaging in commercial sex work to survive. The women I worked with taught me to mix two Panadol tablets with warm milk as a way to avoid pregnancy,” she said. Namuli described the procedure: boiling milk, allowing it to cool, and then swallowing the tablets.
Survey Highlights Widespread Misconceptions
A recent survey conducted by the Power to Youth programme revealed that this method is alarmingly common among women of different age groups in Kalangala’s remote landing sites.
The programme, spearheaded by Reproductive Health Uganda, Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum, and the East African Sub-Region Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women, surveyed 30 respondents aged 15–25 in Bufumira, Mazinga, and Kalangala Town Council between August and September.
The findings were troubling. According to Mr Jonathan Kiboneka, the programme’s focal person in the district, girls under 19 years typically take two Panadol tablets with milk, those aged 20–25 consume four tablets, and women above 25 take up to six tablets.
Ms Dorothy Ziribagwa, a youth advocate from Mazinga Sub-county, attributed this trend to severe gaps in reproductive health education and youth-friendly health services. “Many health centres are inactive or have staff who stigmatise young people seeking contraceptives. This pushes girls to rely on unsafe and ineffective methods,” she said.
Medical Experts Sound Alarm
Dr Michael Suuna, a senior medical officer at Kalangala Health Centre IV, dismissed the use of Panadol and milk as a contraceptive, labelling it a dangerous myth. “This method does not prevent pregnancy. It’s a misconception that must be addressed through proper education. I urge women to seek effective family planning methods at accredited health facilities,” he said.
Dr Suuna warned about the risks of excessive Paracetamol use, including liver damage and potential fatality. “Paracetamol is safe during pregnancy but only in low doses and under medical supervision. Misusing it as a contraceptive can have devastating health consequences,” he cautioned.
Challenges in Providing Contraceptives
Ms Jane Namukasa, Kalangala’s assistant health officer in charge of maternal and child health, acknowledged the inadequacies in the district’s reproductive health services. She noted a significant shortage of midwives at health centres, which compromises the quality of care provided.
Efforts to deploy youth advocates at health facilities have been hampered by limited funding and low motivation. “Our health centres are struggling to meet the demand for contraceptives. Youth-friendly services are critical, but we lack the resources to make them accessible and effective,” she said.
Contraceptive Use in Kalangala
Despite 66 percent of women and girls in Kalangala needing contraceptives, only 23 percent use them. A staggering 31 percent of those in need lack access to any form of family planning.
Kalangala, comprising 64 habitable islands, has 16 health centres, including two Health Centre IVs. However, the remote geography and limited infrastructure pose significant barriers to healthcare access.
A Call for Action
The revelations in Kalangala underscore the urgent need for government intervention to expand access to reproductive health services and dismantle harmful myths surrounding family planning.
Advocates are calling for enhanced sensitisation programmes, the deployment of trained personnel, and the establishment of well-equipped youth-friendly centres to address the challenges facing young people in the district.
Additional Reporting by Daily Monitor
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