Girls turn to Panadol, milk to avoid getting pregnant

A disturbing trend where girls mix Paracetamol tablets, commonly known as Panadol, with milk is emerging among young girls in Kalangala District who are desperate to prevent unwanted pregnancies, Daily Monitor has established.

Young girls are turning to this ineffective and dangerous method due to limited access to reliable contraceptives. 

Namuli (not her real name), a 19-year-old student, says she first learnt about the method while working at Misonzi Landing Site in Bufumira Sub-county a year ago. 

"When I dropped out of school last year, I began engaging in commercial sexual activities to survive. The women I worked with taught me to use two Panadol tablets with a cup of milk as a way to avoid pregnancy,” Namuli told this publication on Monday.

“They said it was the best option if I couldn’t access a health facility,” she added.

Namuli said the process involves boiling a cup of milk, letting it cool to a warm temperature, and then taking two Panadol tablets with warm milk.

During a survey conducted by Power to Youth conducted between August and September, it was discovered that the method is common among different age groups in the remote landing sites in Kalangala islands.

Power to Youth is a consortium of three non-government organisations; Reproductive Health Uganda, Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum, and the East African Sub-Region Support Initiative for Advancement of Women.

“During our survey, we discovered that young girls under 19 years of age typically take two tablets [of Panadol] with milk; those between 20 and 25 years, reportedly take four tablets, and women above 25 swallow six tablets with a cup of warm milk,” said Mr Jonathan Kiboneka, the focal person for Power to You[th] in Kalangala District.

The survey, according to Mr Kiboneka, covered a representative sample of 30 respondents [young girls aged between 15 and 25] in Kalangala Town Council and the two sub-counties of Bufumira and Mazinga.

Ms Dorothy Ziribagwa, a youth advocate under the same programme from Mazinga Sub-county, said this ineffective practice among girls highlights a severe gap in reproductive health education and access to reliable contraceptive options in Kalangala, which comprises 64 habitable islands.

"The youth-friendly centres at a few health facilities aren't effectively serving young people because some are inactive while others have health workers who stigmatise the youth,” she said.

“This situation limits access to crucial services like contraceptives, which has significantly impacted youth health and their wellbeing," she added.

Dr Michael Suuna, a senior medical officer at Kalangala Health Centre IV, said using Panadol and milk as a contraception is among the many myths in the area regarding the prevention of unwanted pregnancies.

“It's not true that Panadol and milk can be used as a family planning method. It's a misconception we must fight and I advise all women and men who need family planning to visit accredited medical facilities that offer effective contraceptive methods that work and can prevent unplanned pregnancies,” he said.

Dangers of overusing Panadol

Paracetamol can be dangerous if taken without guidance from medical personnel, according to Dr Suuna.

He explained: “What many people don’t know is that Paracetamol doesn’t treat any illness but just eases the feeling of pain. And it is dangerous to swallow more tablets than the recommended dose. This can damage the liver, which can lead to death.” 

The doctor reveals that Paracetamol is used during pregnancy but in moderate doses.

“If the mother takes Paracetamol when pregnant, she must make sure that it is at the lowest effective dose and this has to be done for a short period,” he added.

Ms Jane Namukasa, the Kalangala District assistant health officer-in-charge of Maternal and Child Health Services, acknowledged the challenges. 

“Many young people feel discouraged from seeking effective contraceptives at our health facilities. So, we've chosen to bring youth advocates to our health centres, but our biggest challenge is finding ways of keeping them motivated and engaged in their work with us,” she said.

“Our midwives play a critical role in reproductive health education, but they are very few at many health centres, which affects the quality of services we offer,” she added.

According to government policy, a health centre II is supposed to have at least one enrolled midwife; a health centre III (two midwives) and a health centre IV should have at least three midwives. 

Kalangala District, with a population of 70,589 people, has seven health centre IIs, seven health centre IIIs and two health centre IVs spread over nine out of 64 habitable islands.

Available statistics indicate that 66 percent of women and girls in Kalangala District need contraceptives, but 31 percent aren't using any method. Kalangala's contraceptive use rate currently stands at 23 percent. 

About Kalangala 

Kalangala is one of the districts with the highest HIV/Aids prevalence in the country.

However, the HIV/Aids prevalence rate dropped from 16 percent in the past years to 12.8 percent, a success attributed to the availability of drugs and continuous sensitisation.