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Embrace family planning for better health of mothers, children – Clerk urges

Embrace FP for better health of mothers, children – Clerk urges

By Mohammed Baba Busu
Planning
Lafia, Oct. 8, 2019 (NAN) The Clerk, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Mr Ego Abashe, has urged Nigerians to embrace Family Planning (FP) to boost the health of mothers and children as well as for overall development of the country.
Abashe made the call on Tuesday in Lafia while playing host to Community Link for Health and Family Planning Advocacy (CLHEPA), an NGO in the state.
He underscored the importance of FP to mothers and children as well as to the country and the need for civil servants and other Nigerians to embrace child spacing.
“I want to thank you for the visit and to assure you of my readiness to support your advocacy in order to boost the health of mothers and their children.
“The visit is timely, because the 2020 budget is yet to be presented to the House.
“I will advise appropriately and I will also liaise with the Chairman, House Committee on Health to ensure that FP budget is captured and reasonable in the 2020 budget as well as to ensure its released for utilisation.
“I am a living testimony of child spacing and I will advocate for FP among civil servants and other Nigerians for the overall development of the country,” he said.
Earlier, Mrs Mary Ashenenya, Chairperson of the NGO, said that the visit was to seek for the Clerk’s support in ensuring that FP fund is budgeted in 2020 fiscal year.
Ashenenya said that FP was one of the key factors of achieving reduction of maternal morbidity and mortality rate.
“In this group, we are interested in the issue of child spacing/FP in Nasarawa State.
“We are here to advocate for increased government’s budgetary allocation and intervention in child birth spacing.
“This is to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, eliminating risks of abortion that women and girls are exposed to and improving their quality of lives,” she said. (NAN)
BAB/ZGA/MST
Edited by Zainab Garba/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Medical practitioners urge FG to avail FP services to IDPs

Medical Practitioners urge FG to avail FP services to IDPs

By Ummul Idris
IDPs
Abuja, May 7, 2019 (NAN) Dr Towoju Olumunyi, a Medical Doctor at the National Hospital, Abuja, has called on the Federal Government to make Family Planning (FP) commodities more accessible to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country to forestall unwanted pregnancies.

Olumunyi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday that the IDPS should not be forgotten in the quest to provide affordable FP services for the citizenry, adding that the situation they found themselves has made them more vulnerable to unhealthy sex life.

“We shall be doing very well as a nation if we provide quality health for the IDPs, they are more vulnerable and need the best care the government can offer.

“The IDPs needed FP to prevent unintended pregnancies; there are those who are unwilling to get pregnant but are being forced to have sex in the camp, such unwanted pregnancy can be prevented through appropriate family planning.”

The medical practitioner bemoaned the condition of the IDPS, stressing that such situation they found themselves could breed another insurgency if there are no necessary attention.

Olumunyi pleaded for good attention to be given to the IDPS to make them feel like normal Nigerians, stressing that health facilities should be readily available for them to access as well.

He advised government to scale up public health information campaign in IDPs camps, adding that it can largely be responsible for the poor approach of IDPS to FP issues.

“In the past, when I was younger, the government usually engaged the populace with public information campaign, creating awareness on how certain health facilities could be accessed but now such things are no more,” said the expert. (NAN)
UMD/OYE/MST
Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Family Planning: Free commodities attract clients to Bauchi clinics

Family Planning: Free commodities attract clients to Bauchi clinics
By Amina Ahmed
Services
Bauchi, March 13, 2019 (NAN) The provision of Family Planning (FP) commodities in Bauhci State is attracting more patronage to healthcare facilities in the state, an official has saida.
Hajiya Rumanatu Mohammed, FP Service provider in Bauchi metropolis, made this known on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi.
She attributed the increase in family planning clients to free access and availability of commodities in the facilities.
Mohammed provides FP services at the maternity clinic located behind the Emir’s Palace.
She said that from January to date, statistics revealed that their clients have increased from 50 to 100 monthly.
Mohammed observed that FP has gain acceptances in many households through door to door sensitisation and awareness campaigns.
“More clients are coming in for the services because it is free and accessible, so, with this it reduced financial burden on couples.
“Clients are coming for FP in their high number because the commodity is free.
“We have more than 20 volunteers that go for house-to-house sensitisation on routine immunisation, antenatal and FP in our areas of jurisdiction,” she said.
Mohammed also confirmed that clients come for services with their couples to gain more information on the service and variety of commodities. (NAN)
AE/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Senator urges executive to release $1m for Family Planning

Senator urges executive to release $1m for Family Planning
By Chinenye Offor
Funding
Abuja, Dec. 6, 2018 (NAN) Sen. Olarenwa Tejuosho, Chairman Senate Committee on Health, has called on the executive to release the additional one million dollars meant for Family Planning services.
Tejuosho (APC-Ogun) made the call during the 5th Nigeria Family Planning Conference on Thursday in Abuja.
He noted that FP was a major contributor in the progress of Nigeria, saying it will help reduce the nation’s populace.
“If we continue to allow the families grow, it means we are heading to doom.
“The most important thing is the “green dot’’ and every woman should be encouraged to walk into any outlet with the green dot to access FP services,” he said.
The chairman also said that it was important for the nation to improve on their FP purposes in order to reach its full potential.
He added that investment in FP was one of the smartest investments in achieving demographic dividend.
Tejuosho further said that access to FP services would help reduce mortality rates in the society.
He therefore admonished the government, private sector and stakeholders to improve on the accessibility of FP products. (NAN)
CSO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FP Services: Bauchi Govt task stakeholders on accessibility, utilisation

FP Services: Bauchi Govt task stakeholders on accessibility, utilisation
By Mohammed Ahmed Kaigama
Reproduction
Bauchi, Nov. 15, 2018 (NAN) The Bauchi State Government has urged stakeholders and media to create more awareness on the accessibility and utilisation of Family Planning (FP) services in the state.‎
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Zuwaira Ibrahim, gave the task at the Marie Stopes International inception meeting of Women Integrated Services for Health (WISH) project in Bauchi on Thursday.
Ibrahim underscored the need for stakeholders to create more awareness about FP among the populace through health education, advocacy, meetings and preaching.
“I call on stakeholders, religious and traditional leaders, development partners, health workers, community leaders, activists to create more awareness on the utilisation and accessibility of FP in the state.
“The media also have to play more prominent role in enlightening the populace about FP,” she said.
According to her, the low level of education had significantly affected the awareness about FP.
“The knowledge of FP does more than enable women and men to control their family size as is popularly held.
“It guarantees citizens’ health and rights; improves families quality of life and by implication the larger society. The saying that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation will remain a truism for a very long time to come,” she said.
Ibrahim explained that FP was an important strategy in promoting maternal and child health, adding that it improves health through adequate spacing of births and avoiding pregnancy at high risk maternal ages and parities.
Mr Emmanuel Ajah, the Director Operations, Marie Stopes International, explained that the objective of the project was to increase capacity of public and private sector service providers to provide integrated reproductive health services.
“To engage with communities and individuals to increase knowledge and community support for families to make informed reproductive health choices.
“To also contribute to global knowledge by sharing evidence based innovations and practices to increase women’s choice and access to sexual reproductive health,” he said.
Ajah however called on the state government to provide commodities required for child spacing services during intervention activities.
He also stressed the need for the state government to address the issue of staff attrition within the project duration, and ensuring timely release and full commitment to project.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that FP implies the ability of individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired number of children by spacing and timing their births.
It is achieved through the use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of involuntary infertility.
The availability of FP services safeguards individual health and rights, and improves the quality of life of couples and their children. (NAN)
MAK/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Family planning, birth spacing key to sustainable healthy population – NPopC

Family planning, birth spacing key to sustainable healthy population – NPopC
By Chinenye Offor
Planning
Abuja , July 9, 2018 (NAN) The National Population Commission (NPopC) says Family Planning (FP) is a pathway to achieving Demographic Dividend (DD) in the country.
The commission also said FB was fundamental to the realisation of 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development and strategic for national progress.
Chief Eze Duruiheoma, the Chairman of NPopC, said this at news conference as part of activities to commemorate 2018 World Population Day on Monday in Abuja.
The theme for this year’s event is “Family Planning as a Human Right’’.
He noted that the theme was a reminder to the first proclamation on FP as a Human Right made on May 13, 1968, at the conclusion of the United Nations International Conference on Human rights.
According to him, 20 years after, the 1994 International Conference on Population Development (ICPD) in Cairo reaffirmed the declaration with a rider and to have information and ensuring informed choices as well made available a full range of safe and effective methods.
He also said that the ICPD programme of action allowed the rights to be exercised by all couples and individuals, adding that FP is the first and last step in managing population.
“Nigeria as signatory to both declarations; this day provides opportunity for us as a nation to reflect on efforts made over decades to empower the relevant population groups to exercise this right.
“The rights to information and access to contraception, education, the means to determine the number and spacing of children and rights to freely decide the number and spacing of children without any coercion or compulsion and discrimination.
“The extent to which these rights are promoted and exercised explains the impact of fertility on social well-being of the population, particularly women, adolescent girls and young people as well as infants.
“Family planning and birth spacing is the first and right step to population management, central in saving lives of women and adolescent girls, enhances women’s empowerment, key to poverty reduction,’’ he said.
Duruiheoma noted that accessibility, affordability, accountability, availability of quality and safe full range of FP products and services and timely delivery as equality and non-discrimination through innovative technology were essential for exercising basic human rights.
According to him, Nigeria being a part of the consensus reached by 179 countries in Cairo during the ICPD to recognise and promote the exercising of the basic human right which would focus on provision of information, accessibility to full range of FP options free in all localities.
He also said that achievement of FP as human right rested on information, education as well as means to exercising the right to reproductive freedom to responsibly determine when to start reproduction, the number and spacing of children.
Duruiheoma therefore said that government was responsible, accountable and central in providing individuals, couples and parents with adequate, quality, timely and appropriate information, education and resources to enable the voluntary exercise of the right without coercion.
He, however, expressed concerned on the limited access to contraceptives and the unmet demand for FP services which contributed to poor exercise of the rights, saying that exercising the rights will help in reduction of maternal mortality.
The Director-General of the commission, Dr Ghaji Bello, urged the Federal Government to look into population issues for better planning and development in the country.
He said that the commission would work with key stakeholders and partners on better ways of managing population explosion in Nigeria.
The event was attended by development partners, NGOs, CSOs and management of NPopC. (NAN)
CSO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Only 1 in 5 public health facilities offer FP services – Association

Only 1 in 5 public health facilities offer FP services – Association
By Talatu Maiwada
Planning
Abuja, April 9, 2018 (NAN) The Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) says only one in five or 20 per cent of public health facilities in Nigeria offer Family Planning (FP) services and products.
Prof. Oladapo Ladipo, President, AAFP, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
Ladipo said that the low level of contraceptive use contributed to poor maternal and child health status among Nigerians and also accounts for high total fertility rate of almost six children per woman.
He added that the high total fertility rate of almost six children per woman in Nigeria impacted negatively on the high population growth rate of 3.18 per cent.
“Evidence from the demographic and health survey indicates that Nigeria has not recorded significant improvement in its FP uptake over the past 10 years.
“Contraceptive prevalence rate has remained the same at 10 per cent for the past 10 years with a marked difference between the urban cities at 17 per cent and rural areas at six per cent.
“There is also a wide regional variation of contraceptive prevalence rate across the geopolitical zones.
“25 per cent of married women aged 15 to 49 years in South West currently use modern contraceptive, while less than three per cent of women in the North East are current users of modern contraceptive methods,’’ he said.
Ladipo defined FP as a way that allowed individuals and couples anticipate and attain their desired number of children with spacing and timing of their births through the use of contraceptive methods.
According to him, FP has been universally recognised as one of the key pillars and most cost-effective means of achieving safe motherhood.
The AAFP president noted that the woman’s ability to space and limit her pregnancies had a direct impact on her health and wellbeing, the outcome of each pregnancy and consequently, the economy.
Ladipo called on the Federal Government to increase fund allocation to health as evidence from research showed that successful FP programmes could contribute to about 30 per cent reduction in maternal and child mortality. (NAN)
TIM/COF/MST
Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FP will reduce maternal, child mortality – Official

FP will reduce maternal, child mortality – Official
NAN-H-7
Mortality
By Amina Ahmed
Bauchi, Sept. 27, 2017 (NAN) The Bauchi State Family Planning (FP) Coordinator, Hajiya Hajara Yahya, on Wednesday said that the use of FP contraceptives would reduce maternal and child mortality in the state.
Yahaya told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi that adherence to FP would ensure that mothers become healthy before getting pregnant again.
She said that the use of family planning would prevent some complications ahead of the next pregnancy and child birth.
According to Yahya, a survey conducted in 2015 showed that family planning takes only 2.2 per cent of utilisation in the state.
She identified religion, culture and poverty as some of the hitches against FP as it contributed to the low use of contraceptives in the state.
“The percentage of utilisation of family planning commodities is 2.2 per cent according to a survey conducted in 2015.
“Family planning saves live and reduce the burden of maternal and child mortality, the mother and child will be healthy during the planning years.
“Family planning is beneficial to the mother, such that the reproductive system will be ready to another baby, for the father, it also help plan for his family adequately and sufficiently.
“The child will grow in good health by having adequate breast milk and family planning also prevent the child from common childhood diseases,” she said. (NAN)
AE/KOLE/MST
Edited by Remi Koleoso/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Commission wants immediate action on FP, population issues

Commission wants immediate action on FP, population issues

NAN-HG-7

Action

By Yashim Katurak

Abuja, July 11, 2017 (NAN) Mr Eze Duruiheoma, Chairman, National Population Commission (NPopC), has called on all stakeholders, partners and donor agencies to take immediate action in resolving present challenges of Family Planning (FP) in Nigeria.

The chairman made the call at a symposium to mark the 2017 World Population Day (WPD) with the theme: “Family Planning, Birth Spacing: Empowering People, Developing Nations” in Abuja on Tuesday.

The symposium was organised by the commission in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Federal Ministry of Health and other partners.

Duruiheoma explained that the fight for the full implementation and use of FP methods in the country was for the benefit of citizens especially those at the grassroots level.

He said these individuals were the most affected by lack of knowledge of the numerous benefits of FP and low availability of family planning commodities like contraceptives.

Duruiheoma therefore urged stakeholders, donor agencies and partners not to relent in the struggle to provide these commodities and improve awareness on the benefits of the intervention.

“For the past one week, we have held discussions, rallies and so on to discuss issues relating to population.

“I want us to use this forum today to fashion out ways were all the issues discussed and canvassed can be synthesised and made actionable.

“In the last three years, we have continued to discuss issues relating to population and after this discussion the issues are forgotten but this will not be allowed to happen again.

“This time the issues discussed will need to be implemented. This fight is not for us but for those behind the scene that is those at the grassroots.

“How do we help them, how do we reach out to them, educate them in order for them to make informed decision about their lives and families for the betterment of the nation,” Duruiheoma said.

He said that the theme for the 2017 WPD was very apt for Nigeria because of the very large and still growing population making it difficult for the nation to achieve and sustain development, manage economic crisis and various health problems.

He said having a large population only was not as beneficial as having a population with more educated and self-reliant individuals hence the need for FP.

Dr Mairo Mandara, the Country Director, BMG), said FP and birth spacing helps husbands to safeguard the health and well-being of their wives and children.

Mandara said it allows couples to plan financially and emotionally for their next child, plan the timing and size of the family in order to earn better living and prevent poverty.

“Family planning guarantees quality reproduction that translates into quality population and quality workforce for achieving accelerated economic growth and enhances prospects of realising demographic dividend.

“FP is a life-saving intervention and the core pillar of safeguarding motherhood because it saves women’s lives, saves the lives of new-born, infants and under five.

“FP reduces deaths from HIV/AIDS, promotes economic and social development that contributes to eradicating extreme poverty; it also reduces youth dependency ratio facilitating investment and savings.

“FP empowers people especially women and girls to realise their full potentials and contribute to the wealth of the nation,” Mandara said.

She said as women gained access to reproductive resources, they also report better health outcomes, achieve higher levels of education and experience a lower incidence of intimate-partner violence.

According to Mandara, the total cost of investment in the procurement of contraceptives for the public sector from 2011 to 2016 by government and donors was $64.491 million, saving government $828 million in investment.

She said this investment in FP created a reinforcing cycle of empowerment, supporting healthy, educated and economically productive women and families.

The country director therefore called for more advocacy and deployment of the media to create and implement elaborate awareness and sensitisation particularly in rural communities.

She also called on the legislative arm of government, religious leaders and traditional rulers to work with the Federal Government and civil society organisations to encourage full practice of FP and birth spacing.

She said this would help Nigeria become a prosperous nation. (NAN) KRY/JPE/MST

Edited by Joseph Edeh/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

20m Nigerian women have no access to FP services – UNFPA

20m Nigerian women have no access to FP services – UNFPA

NAN-HG-4

Women

By Mustapha Sumaila

Abuja, July 11, 2017 (NAN) The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says no fewer than 20 million women in Nigeria had no access to safe and effective Family Planning (FP) services.

The UNFPA’s Country Representative, Dr Diene Keita, disclosed this at an event to mark the 2017 World Population Day (WPD) on Tuesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this year’s WPD has its theme as: “Family planning: Empowering people, developing nations’’.

Represented by Mr Osaretin Adonri, the Assistant Country Representative of UNFPA in Nigeria, Keita most of these women that had no access to modern FP method reside in rural areas and region of insurgency in the country.

He said that fulfilling unmet demand for FP in Nigeria would avert 750,000 unintended pregnancies and reduce by one third the estimated over 40,000 annual maternal deaths.

According to him, UNFPA has contributed to two per cent increase in FP between 2003 and 2013 in Nigeria base on the National Demographic Health Survey.

He added that the Fund had also contributed to a near doubling of modern contraceptive use worldwide, from 36 per cent in 1970 to 67 per cent in 2016.

The country representative stated that in spite this dramatic progress, there were still enormous challenges because about 214 million women in developing countries could not access safe and effective FP methods.

He noted that, fulfilling their unmet demand would save lives by averting 67 million unintended pregnancies and thereby reducing by one third the estimated 303,000 annual maternal deaths.

Keita admonished that better reproductive health care including voluntary FP can bolster economies and contribute to sustainable development by empowering women to complete their education.

“Family planning therefore is critical to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 1, to end poverty”

“It is also key to achieving other goals such as ending hunger as well as promoting good health and gender equality.

“UNFPA has set an ambitious, transformative goal to eliminate all unmet demand for family planning by 2030,” the official said.

Keita therefore called on governments and other stakeholders to work hard in achieving the goals. (NAN)

MS/KOLE/MST

Edited by Remi Koleosho/Muhammad Suleiman Tola