Healthy Choices Radio Programme

The Radio Programme focuses on three strategic areas of the UNFPA Country Programme namely: population and development, reproductive health, and gender. Topics for discussion on the radio programme were chosen after review of existing reports and data from a baseline survey that was done in the 8 UNFPA grant receiving districts. These included family planning, pregnancy and maternity care, young people and vulnerable groups, reproductive rights and women's empowerment, and gender-based violence (GBV).

The one hour magazine included a 10-minute pre-recorded drama, 5 minutes for listeners' questions, 15 minutes for the community voices, 5 minutes for comments from the listeners about the drama, and 15 minutes for experts’ discussion. District health experts were brought into the studio to respond to listeners’ questions. In addition, a village level network of Radio Listening Groups was established to generate discussion around the key topics and mobilise communities to utilise the information gained from the radio programme.

More than 4000 village Health Team (VHT) members in Uganda underwent orientation on healthy choices to equip them with knowledge and skills to respond to concerns raised by the community. UNFPA also donated 5,200 solar radio sets to the VHTs, to listen to the radio programme with other community members. The listening groups consisted of men and women who discussed issues related to the topics in the programmes.

Radio presenters and producers at the stations airing the programme also received on the job orientation to help them respond to listeners.

Reproductive health

According to Dr. Simon Omeke, the District Health Officer of Katakwi District, his community’s knowledge and attitudes on family planning have improved due to the Healthy Choices Radio Programme with couples learning how to discuss family planning, which has increased the uptake of family planning methods. One VHT and listening group facilitator from Kirima Sub-county, Kanuungu District also said that the radio programme is very useful since many lacked information on family planning. The recorded drama, which is part of the 1 hour programme, was considered particularly interesting and provided answers to many of the listener's questions.