CAIRO: The use of birth control methods in Egypt reached 58 percent in 2014, down from 63 percent in 2008, Health Ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghafar said in a statement Tuesday.
The use of long-term methods has also dropped from 36.5 percent in 2008 to 30 percent in 2014, while reliance on short-term methods has increased to 16 percent in 2014 from 12.9 percent in 1992, according to Abdel Ghaffar.
In order to tackle the over population problem plaguing the Arab world’s most populous country, the Health Ministry launched several family planning campaigns including that of 2008 subbed “two Children per family – a chance for a better life.”
The country has also launched a family planning program that kicked off with 2,301 units delivering family planning services throughout the country. According to Abdel Ghaffar, the number now jumped to 5,952 units, employing 8,395 doctors and 14,000 instructors.
The Health Ministry plans to increase family planning rate to 74 percent by 2030, Abdel Ghaffar said.