NAN Archive

Loading

NAN Archive

Tag reproductive

Health

Reproductive health: Adamawa Govt lauds Ipas intervention

Reproductive health: Adamawa Govt lauds Ipas intervention
By Yakubu Uba
Ipas
Yola, June 20, 2019 (NAN) The Adamawa Government has commended Ipas, an international NGO, for its intervention in improving sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and girls in the state.
The Permanent Secretary, in the state Ministry of Health, Mr Kennedy Bartimaus, made the commendation on Thursday in Yola at the project dissemination workshop organised by Ipas.
Bartimaus noted that the intervention of Ipas in four local government areas of Yola North, Yola South, Girei and Fufore in the last one year had impacted positively on the lives of women and girls in those areas.
“We have over 30 NGOs working in Adamawa but the impact of Ipas intervention is so unique that we ranked them among the top best.
“We want to encourage Ipas to do more and to increase its intervention to more local government areas.
“Its choice of women is strategic because addressing female health is like addressing that of the community,” Bartimaus said.
The Country Representative of Ipas, Ms Hauwa Shekarau, said the project in Adamawa and some selected states, titled “Increasing Access to Safe Abortion and Contraception in Africa”, is funded by the Canadian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) as part of measures to existing gaps in reproductive rights and healthcare for women.
Shekarau lauded the support received from government and community leaders to the success of the project in the state.
“The continued support of these key stakeholders and identified champions is very vital to dispelling myths and misconceptions about sexual and reproductive health and rights, which are some of the barriers faced by women in accessing safe and quality healthcare,” Shekarau said. (NAN)
YMU/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Association demands inclusion of FP services into Health Insurance Schemes

Association demands inclusion of FP services into Health Insurance Schemes

By Mustapha Yauri
Reproduction
Abuja, Nov. 7, 2018 (NAN) The Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) has called on the Federal Government and other stakeholders to include Family Planning (FP) services into Health Insurance Schemes to scale-up access to FP and other reproductive health services.
AAFP is the umbrella of CSOs promoting reproductive healthcare services in Nigeria.
The group made the appeal during a media roundtable hosted by MamaYe Evidence for Action ahead of the Dec. 4 National FP Conference in Abuja.
The roundtable was also in preparation for the Annual Population Lecture Series (APLS).
Dr Mojisola Odeku, the Country Director, Nigeria Urban and Reproductive Health Initiative II (NURHI 2), said contraceptives and other FP services should be part of the minimum healthcare package by the health insurance providers.
She noted that full coverage of FP services will open opportunities for health insurance enrolees to access the services at private facilities at affordable rate.
Odeku said for Nigeria to increase its contraceptive prevalence rate health insurance providers must provide full FP services beyond counselling, coverage of ante natal services and deliveries.
Earlier, Dr Ejike Orji, the Chairman, Technical and Management Committee, AAFP, said the 5th NFPC would hold between Dec. 4 and 6.
He said there would be three pre-conferences on interfaith, youth and women, while the main conference would focus on investment, innovation and inclusiveness.
According to Orji, “we want to see more investment, and new ways of doing things towards scaling up FP uptake in Nigeria’’.
“National Population Commission says that Nigeria has about 198 million people; in 2006 Nigeria was about 140 million which we added 58 million people in 12 years.
“It is a fastest population growing trajectory in recent times, we are in serious trouble and demographic crises unless we watch it,’’ he said.
He said another issue the conference would discuss would be inclusiveness as an effort to ensure that no one was left behind in planning services.
He said the association was worried that not much investment was made at sub-national level, adding “we want to see more commitment at that area’’.
“The federal government has done a lot; it provided and released four million dollars in the 2017 budget into the national family planning basket.
“Even though it was not enough, it is a great departure from zero allocation,’’ he said.
Malam Muhammad Tola, Co-Chairman, Media and Publicity sub-Committee of the conference, appealed to stakeholders to empower journalists and media houses to enable them focus on FP issues and engage in investigative journalism. (NAN)
AM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Tambuwal launches reproductive health programme in Sokoto

Tambuwal launches reproductive health programme in Sokoto
By Muhammad Bello/Hauwa Gold
Programme
Sokoto, May 25, 2018 (NAN) Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State on Friday launched the Reproductive, Maternal, New Born Child, Adolescent Health plus Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) programme for the state.
Tambuwal flagged-off the programme at Gagi Clinic in Kware Local Government Area of the state.
He commended the wife of the President, Mrs A’isha Buhari, for driving the programme through her Future Assured NGO in the country.
“The Future Assured programme has taken up the baton to create partnership and high level advocacy from states across the nation.
“It has also championed the momentum and movement with officials at all levels of government.
“There is need for accelerated implementation of RMNCAH+N programmes to increase service provision and utilisation.
“Moreover, it mobilised families on the actions they can take to improve the health of mothers and children,” the governor said.
He also thanked traditional leaders in Sokoto for their contributions to ensure the success of healthcare delivery in the state.
Tambuwal assured of the state government’s commitment in ensuring a better health condition for people.
He urged pregnant women to attend ante-natal care at hospitals for a healthier and productive society.
The wife of the governor, Hajiya Maryam Tambuwal, pledged to complement the efforts of the state government towards uplifting the health and well-being of the populace.
She promised to use her foundation, `Maryam Mairo Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (MMAWT) Legacy Initiative’, to concentrate on mental issues, helping people living with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, among other diseases.
Also speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, represented by the District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar, commended the state government’s commitment in ensuring better healthcare delivery for the people. (NAN)
BMN/MKH/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FG lauds UNFPA intervention on population, humanitarian services

FG lauds UNFPA’s intervention on reproductive, humanitarian services

NAN-HG-45

Population

By Cecilia Ologunagba

Abuja, March 21, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Government on Tuesday commended the intervention of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in the areas reproductive health, family planning, population and development as well as humanitarian services.

Mr Samuel Eloho, the Director, International Co-operation Department, Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, said this at the opening of a two-day meeting of the National Task Force Committee, and Partners in Population and Development (PPD) on South-South Cooperation in Abuja.

Eloho said Nigeria would “continue to be appreciative of the support with the belief that UNFPA would not relent in her efforts’’.

“It is with pleasure that I applaud the dedication of the National Task Force Committee.

“The success of this committee is attributable to the commitment of various stakeholders gathered here today.

“I urge us to remain committed in carrying out our oversight functions to ensure that common goals of the PPD are realised for good to our dear nation,’’ he said.

The director said that the essence of the meeting was to discuss the implementation of the UNFPA assisted-programmes in various ministries and organisations.

He said that the meeting would ascertain progress made in the implementation of programmes, challenges encountered and proffer the way forward.

“It is also a forum for the implementing partners, the UNFPA and the ministry that coordinates all donor activities to jointly reflect on the implementation of trajectory achievement.

“It will discuss challenges and suggest ways forward for achieving a robust implementation and value for money.’’

In addition, he said that the meeting would discuss the outcome of the 2016 inter-Ministerial Conference and Board Meeting of PPP including Dakar call for Action that reaffirms the willingness and commitments.

“The meeting will accord highest urgency to post 2014 International Inter-Ministerial Conference and Population and Development (ICPD) engagement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) achievements.

“It will accord the priority to SDGs through redouble efforts to collectively address the priority population and development challenges in the context of the SDGs.’’

In his remarks, Mr Dasogot Dashe, the UNFPA Programme Analyst on Demography and Statistics, urged the participants to focus on ageing population to reap the demographic dividends.

“If Nigeria can manage its ageing population very well, Nigeria will harness the second demographic dividends and the first is for the youth.

“If you invest in the youth now, they will be empowered to work, train their own children so that they will not be burden to the government in their old age,’’ he said.

Dashe, however, commended the Ministry of Budget and National Planning for coordinating the activities of the Task Force and assured of UNFPA’s support in achieving demographic dividends.

Also speaking, Dr Emem Omokaro, Executive Director, Dave Omokaro Foundation, called for policies and programmes that would include the ageing population.

Omokaro, who made a presentation on “the need for Enhancing Institutional Capacity for Ageing Mainstreaming Development of the Training Curriculum for Ministries Department Agencies (MDA)’’, emphasised on building the MDAs.

She said that MDAs should be trained to formulate programmes and projects that would include the ageing population.

NAN reports that the National Task Force for PPD is the bridge builder in implementing the objectives of South-South Cooperation.

It seeks to implement the objectives of promoting family planning, gender, sexual reproductive health, and population and development to enhance capacity building.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reports that the meeting is being attended by more than 49 MDAs and CSOs involved in the PPD.

They include the host ministry of National Planning; Ministries of Finance, Education, Health, Agriculture, FCT and Women Affairs.

Other stakeholders were the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NAN and National Population Commission.  (NAN)

CIA/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola