Access to contraception in the public health sector is a basic human right. In the South African context, various factors contribute to unwanted births and pregnancies.
A report by Stats SA entitled ’Unwanted Fertility in South Africa’ revealed that about 20% of all births in the five years preceding the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey happened when women were not planning on having any more children.
Related to this is South Africa’s low rate of vasectomies. According to the National Department of Health, only 639 vasectomies were performed at public health facilities across the country in 2021. This is in comparison to 2019’s figure of 1 391.
While fewer than one percent of men aged 15 to 49 in South Africa have had vasectomies, the rate in many wealthier countries is over 10%, reported public health website, In the Spotlight.
Maybe the problem lies in empowering men with the knowledge of what goes into having the procedure done? For too long, the onus has been on women to take care of family planning in the relationship.
It’s time to change the narrative. And that’s exactly what East Coast Radio has done, and more recently, Joburg photographer Phethelo 'Jag' Fakude, who underwent a vasectomy at age 29. He’s now using his own experience to advocate for more men to consider this option.
The local radio station has given four men given four men the opportunity to get a vasectomy.
The on-air campaign was also accompanied by a discussion between Carol Ofori and Dr Shiven Ramkissoon, who dispelled the myths surrounding vasectomies. He noted that men could also take on the responsibility of family planning.
East Coast Radio asked couples to send in their family planning stories and why they would like to get a vasectomy. Four couples were then shortlisted for a chance to win a vasectomy surgery with Dr Ramkissoon.
They all arrived in-studio last week to find out which two couples’ lives would be changed forever. What they didn’t know was that they were all declared winners as Dr Ramkissoon decided to give all four couples the vasectomy.
One father revealed that his wife had been diagnosed with epilepsy and had two high-risk births.
The delivery of their second child was particularly frightening as 10 minutes before the wife gave birth, she suffered a placental abruption.
Luckily, the couple was at the hospital, and everything went well. They welcomed a beautiful baby boy.
For those who aren’t fortunate enough to undergo a free vasectomy, there are other choices available to you.
The Department of Health’s 2020 National Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Policy has male sterilisation as one of the contraception services that should be available in public health facilities which is available in all nine provinces.
One such place is the Metro Men’s Health Centre in Cape Town that does the procedure for free.
“It is seen as a form of contraception for men who do not want unplanned pregnancies, and it is a safe option,” said Men’s Centre’s Dr Abdul Sungay.
“It is a small-day procedure that takes approximately 20 minutes to complete, and you will be discharged later in the day,” he explained.
So, how is a vasectomy performed?
It involves a surgical procedure to cut the supply of sperm to the penis by blocking the tube (vas deferens) through which sperm normally passes from each testicle.
“Before getting a vasectomy, men must be certain they don’t want to father a child in the future,” said Dr Odion Aire from The Urology Hospital, Pretoria, while chatting to IOL Lifestyle in 2019.
Aire also noted that a vasectomy is generally simple to perform, safe and won’t negatively affect sex drive.
Believe it or not, a vasectomy is one of the best forms of birth control after abstinence, with a success rate of over 99 percent.