As the world marks the World Population Day on July 11, Development Communication Network’s (Devcoms) advocate for the promotion and mainstreaming of information and service delivery on family planning as one of the key strategies to control the continuous population growth in Nigeria.
This is especially important for marginalised groups and people in hard to reach areas across the country. the theme- Family Planning is a Human Right,
With this year’s theme, ‘Family Planning is a Human Right’, the Programme Director of Devcoms, Mr. Akin Jimoh, has said that the celebration would not be complete without recognising Nigerian women who bear the brunt of death and infirmities due to complications in pregnancy and childbirth.
“With Nigeria’s population growing at an unsustainable rate for national development, we support all efforts to address the in-balance in the country’s development and the current population of 198 million people, with urban population growing at an average annual growth rate of about 6.5 per cent,” he expressed.
According to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), family planning is the information, means and methods that allows individuals decide if and when to have children. Individuals, including women, youths and adolescents right to contraceptive information and services is grounded in basic human rights.
Jimoh added further that the obligation for right to health means that health care services must be available in sufficient quantity; accessible in ways that are non-discriminatory and ensure that services can be accessed physically and financially; acceptable in the sense of being respectful of the culture of individuals; and of good quality.
Speaking further, the Devcoms boss noted that women, youths and adolescents in Nigeria must be provided services that are accessible, available, and acceptable to prevent unplanned pregnancies most of which end in procurement of unsafe abortion, one of the contributors to maternal deaths in the country.
He, however, asserts that “It is important to establish Youth Friendly Centres dedicated to providing sexual and reproductive health services that meets young people at their point of need rather than resorting to practices that endangers their lives.
“These should operate based on elements of full, free, and informed choice with citizens having access to information on all methods of contraceptives (temporary and permanent) and also have the right to make decision about what service to uptake without coercion and barriers.”
According to Jimoh, family planning is a wise investment for national development though with a number of differentials in level of acceptance across the country that needs to be further enhanced for the benefits of Nigerians.
He insisted that it was very important that government at all levels ensure the availability of family planning commodities and consumables in order to advance access to a major means of addressing the country’s population debacle.
He added: “Government should realise that without contraceptive products there will not be a programme to save the lives of women, children and others who need it. Government should be accountable for ensuring that the supply contraceptives products and consumables are available at the point of needs for every prospective user.”
Meanwhile, the Devcoms boss urged that there was need for all stakeholders to collaborate in order to make up for the unmet needs among target groups. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), unmet needs is high among adolescents, migrants, urban slum dwellers, refugees and women in postpartum period.
“Health workers have a key role to play in making reproductive and sexual health service available to those who need it. From when an adolescent walks through the door of a clinic to when he or she leaves, the services provided – good or bad – might shape the future of such individual,” he expressed.
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