Alhaji Sani Umar-Jabbi, the District Head of Gagi in Sokoto South Local Government Area,
has urged government to increase budget lines for family planning and other reproductive and maternal health services.
has urged government to increase budget lines for family planning and other reproductive and maternal health services.
He made the call during an awareness campaign in commemoration of the 2023 World Contraception Day on Wednesday
in Sokoto.
in Sokoto.
The programme was organised by the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SSPHCDA) in collaboration with
UN Population Fund (UNFPA), USAID Breakthrough Action Nigeria (BA-N) Project and other partners.
UN Population Fund (UNFPA), USAID Breakthrough Action Nigeria (BA-N) Project and other partners.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that World Contraception Day is annually celebrated on Sept. 26
to spread awareness around the importance of contraception and to empower couples and the day has “The Power of Options”
to spread awareness around the importance of contraception and to empower couples and the day has “The Power of Options”
as the 2023 theme.
The district head, therefore, explained that increased budget lines would ensure that programmes being implemented by
different development partners were sustained even after the donor agencies’ support had stopped.
different development partners were sustained even after the donor agencies’ support had stopped.
He further urged stakeholders to expand facilities spread to ensure maximum and optimum access to reproductive health
and family planning activities among people in the state.
and family planning activities among people in the state.
Umar-Jabbi said that improved sexual and reproductive, as well as other healthcare services would surely strengthen
challenges associated with improper population growth, thereby affecting demographic planning and productivity.
challenges associated with improper population growth, thereby affecting demographic planning and productivity.
He, therefore, solicited for more community understandings and support toward achieving the desired impact
for healthy individuals and productive population.
for healthy individuals and productive population.
Earlier, Dr Abdulrahman Ibrahim-Zagga, the State Team Lead for the USAID Breakthrough Action Nigeria, enumerated
the importance of the World Contraception Day, saying that the day is to create awareness and educate people on the
significance of family planning or child spacing.He further highlighted the need for child spacing, sexual and reproductive health services to be inclusive and
accessible to all categories of people to ensure healthy and productive society.
the importance of the World Contraception Day, saying that the day is to create awareness and educate people on the
significance of family planning or child spacing.He further highlighted the need for child spacing, sexual and reproductive health services to be inclusive and
accessible to all categories of people to ensure healthy and productive society.
He stressed the need for people to have access to safe, quality and standard healthcare services without any barriers,
as sexual and reproductive health are integral part basic rights of all citizens.
He added that “people should also have access to the right information and education on health services to help them
to make informed decisions about their health.”
to make informed decisions about their health.”
The Team Lead thanked the Sokoto State Government for supporting partners’ activities and reiterated the USAID BA-N and
other partners commitment to support the state and the health system.
other partners commitment to support the state and the health system.
The Executive Secretary of SSPHCDA, Dr Ibrahim Malami, said evidence revealed that developing countries mostly in Africa
have the lowest rates of contraception use in the world, some of the highest maternal death and morbidity rates.
have the lowest rates of contraception use in the world, some of the highest maternal death and morbidity rates.
He said that the agency is aimed at improving access to family planning by working directly with representative organisations.
He thanked the efforts of BA-N and other partners who supported the event and reiterated state government commitments toward
achieving maximum success.
achieving maximum success.
