Attitude change, accessibility required for family planning – Workshop

THE importance of demographic management has been stressed by experts, urging women and men of reproductive ages to key into the idea of family planning.

This formed the crux of a 3-day media launch of National Family Planning Campaign and Training for journalists.
The training, which was held via zoom was organised by the Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with Rotary Action Group for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health,( Rotary RMCH), as well as the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development.

Speaking during the launch cum training with the theme, ‘Behavioural Change in Family Planning, Impact of Mass Media in Nigeria’, the Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, said that family planning was an important intervention for promoting proper timing and spacing of pregnancies.

Dr Mamora stated that family planning can reduce maternal deaths in the country by 30 per cent.
Quoting the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) of 2018, the minister informed that 512 women die for every 100,000 live births in Nigeria.

He observed that there are challenges militating against the success of Nigeria’s attainment of modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) of 27 per cent by year 2024.
He identified poor funding for family planning at all levels, delayed release of counterpart funds for the procure of contraceptive commodities, myths and misconception, inadequate funding for monitoring and supervision activities and inadequate male involvement in family planning activities.

Dr Mamora emphasised that for the nation to achieve 27 per cent CPR by 2024, the public must be educated about the benefits of family planning.

In his contribution, the National Coordinator of Rotary Maternal and Child Health, Dr Emmanuel Lufadeju said that Nigeria’s population was 200million and would double by 2050.
He opined that over 90 per cent of