Promote sexual, reproduction health, govt urged
Promote sexual, reproduction health, govt urged
By Fatima Muraina
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The Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria (NRHJN) has urged governments at all levels, the private sector and other stakeholders to give women more opportunities to enable them contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development.
In a statement issued after the 2020 International Women’s Day (IWD) , signed by its President, Roland Ogbonnaya and Secretary, Yinka Shokunbi, the NRHJN said the Federal and state governments should do more to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights of all Nigerians, especially that of women and girls, majority of whom are vulnerable and more at risk.
It said there is evidence that pregnancies that are too early, too close, too late or too many carry extra hazards, not only for the health of the woman, but also for the unborn child.
Based on the benefit that family planning can prevent at least 34 per cent maternal death, the NRHJN said every pro-active government should embrace the scaling up of family planning services as one of the maternal survival strategies.
“Although, it is incontrovertible that family planning is a life saver of women and children, the current 17 per cent contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) is poor. “Consequently, achieving the new goal to increase the modern contraceptive prevalent rate (mCPR) to 27 per cent as part of Nigeria’s family planning 2020 commitment, should be a priority, the statement said.
NRHHN is also clamouring for more family planning uptake in the country, saying that presently, the unmet need for contraception among married women ages 15 to 49 years in the country was 23.06 per cent in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognised sources.
To this end, the group seeks for an improved health budget and timely release of the funds to pave the way for regular availability of family planning commodities and needed consumables.
It said, there should be inclusion of access to sexual reproductive health services such as the provision of ramp in hospital buildings and private health facilities, the provision of sign language in public places like hospitals and others to facilitate access to care for all categories of people, especially women, girls and children.