The district of Ngororero in Western Province has recorded about 872 men who have accepted male sterilization or vasectomy as one of the methods of Family Planning.

The exercise comes as a result of the ongoing mobilization in the district aimed at encouraging the population to understand the benefits for controlling births.

Placide Ngendayo, 31, is one of the men who accepted the vasectomy method.

He says he took the decision after he had been following reports and mobilization through the media. But, says that a lot of misinformation still circulates.

“I took the decision on my own for the future of my family and my responsibilities, [but] there is still lack of enough awareness and mobilization for all Rwandans to understand the benefits for family planning. It’s true; people should disregard all such misinformation for their interest and the country,” the father of two said.

“I would tell my colleagues, male parents, that this method is safe. It’s true, people should disregard any rumors, it’s a decision you will not regret once taken,” he noted

One of the misunderstanding taken wrongly as a negative effect is malfunction of sexual activity as Noel Nderabakunzi, a residence of Kageyo Sector in Ngororero districts, said.

“There are some people who think family planning for men causes malfunction of sexual intercourse, it is not true. There is also poor mindset that the program is for only women; I do not see anything wrong helping my wife,” he noted adding that “A lot of people do not understand the program [family planning] which is good according to how land is becoming limited and life becomes tough.”

For him, once a man is sterilized, sexual activity continues as usual expect the fact that you cannot impregnate again. He says his four friends did it too.

“Sexual intercourse goes on, there is no change I have ever seen since was sterilized,” he noted.

The Vice Mayor in Charge of Social Affairs, Benjamine Mukunduhirwe, stresses that it’s important that families know the betterment of Family Planning so that parenting might be easier.

“It’s vital for a family to have a number of children that they can manage to support in all parenting phases-from earlier infancy to adulthood. It helps to eliminate and reduce malnutrition and stunting among children,” she said.

Kigali Up learns that, presently, there are 197, 791 men and 206,292 where the district stands at 58.3 per cent.

No target is in place for male sex, officials said.