The Ministry of Health and Population has called on religious and traditional leaders to take a leading role in promoting access to family planning methods in a bid to control the country’s rapid population growth.

The sentiments have been made as Malawi joins the global community in commemorating World Population Day that falls on July 11 every year.

The ministry’s spokesperson Joshua Malango said so far Malawi is doing well on issues of family planning.

“Since the United Nations declared the issues of family planning as a human right we have seen an influx of a number of women even men coming in our facilities seeking family planning thereby controlling population,” he told YFM in a telephone interview.

However, Malango said there is still room for improvement on uptake of family planning methods in the country.

He highlighted that there are some areas that consider family planning as a taboo which he said is a loophole in the fight against rapid population growth.

“We know or we have heard that some religious beliefs prohibit people from accessing family planning methods but human right is superior to any other belief that is why we work hand in hand with traditional leaders and religious leaders,” he said.

The day is being commemorated under the theme Family Planning is a Human Right, and in the country the commemorations will be held on 14th July this year.