HEALTH and Child Care minister David Parirenyatwa yesterday said his ministry had dispatched a team to investigate claims that some health centres are distributing contraceptives to children as young as 10 years old.
EVERSON MUSHAVA CHIEF REPORTER
Parirenyatwa made the disclosure during a parliamentary question-and-answer session after he was asked by Mutasa South MP (Zanu PF) Irene Zindi on what his ministry was doing about the 91 centres that were reported to be distributing contraceptives to adolescents.
Zindi asked after Paririenyatwa told MPs that it was not government policy that children should get contraceptives to reduce unwanted pregnancies. “My ministry has already dispatched a team to investigate if these centres are there and I will bring a report in this house as soon as the investigations are over,” the minister said.
On Tuesday Parirenyatwa was forced to dismiss reports that officials in his ministry had said centres were set up to distribute contraceptives to children and adolescents between the ages of 10 and 24.
Meanwhile, Industry and Commence minister Mike Bimha told Parliament his ministry would push for the revival of Bulawayo as the country’s industrial hub through the implementation of the Distressed Industries and Marginalised Areas Fund.
