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Magufuli now bans family planning adverts

By THOMAS MATIKO September 21st, 2018 1 min read

The Tanzanian government has banned family planning adverts, just a fortnight after President John Magufuli urged women in his country to stop taking birth control pills and have as many children as they wish.

To this effect the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, has sent a memo to a Non-Governmental Organization USAID asking it to stop sponsoring family planning adverts which have been airing both on radio and TV.

“The Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children acknowledges various support from your Organization in improving Family Planning Services in the County. However, the Ministry intends to revise the contents of all your ongoing radio and TV spots for family planning. Thus, I request you to stop with immediate effect airing and publishing any family Planning contents in any media channels until further notice,” the memo read in part.

Two weeks ago, while addressing a rally in the northern Meatu district, President Magufuli, who is a father of two, termed as ‘lazy’ Tanzanian citizens who use family planning methods.

He went on to state that most developed countries in the world has huge population.

Tanzania has a population of about 55 million people with 49% of them living on less than $2 (Sh200) a day, according to the BBC.