Kwara Govt will focus on male engagement in Family Planning — Commissioner
By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
The Kwara Government says it will continue to upscale male involvement in Family Planning (FP), which is crucial for effective population control and improved reproductive health.
Dr Amina El-Imam stated this on Wednesday in Ilorin while speaking at the Kwara State Bi-Annual Stakeholders Coordination Meeting organised by Society For Family Health (SFH) in collaboration with Kwara Government.
She explained that the Nigerian society is largely patrilineal with the male as the head, and that there is need for partnership and increase in male acceptance of FP in Kwara and Nigeria as a whole.
She observed that there is significant challenges related to socio-cultural norms and misconceptions, when it comes to FP in the country.
According to her, the men are the head of the household and women cannot take unilateral decisions, and the men are stakeholders in conception process.
El-Imam explained that by engaging the male population, the challenges of misconception can be addressed, through culturally sensitive interventions and education.
The commissioner observed, however, that Kwara is recording progress in the area of up-take in FP commodities across the 16 Local Government Area.
She added that FP has ensured fewer maternal mortality cases recorded in the state, less abortion, happier families and reduction in poverty level, among others.
Also speaking, the SHF Managing Director, Dr Omokhudo Idogho, commended Kwara Government on its achievement in the area of maternal and child health care.
Idogho, who was represented by Malam Umar Adamu, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of the SHF, said the mission of the organisation is to empower Nigerians with the knowledge and tools to lead healthier lives.
He said that the goal is to achieve an
Improved Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) outcomes through the expansion of self-care solutions, integrating them as an essential part of resilient health systems.
“Our ultimate goal is for women across Kwara to be empowered to initiate, adopt, sustain use of, and advocate for healthy child spacing options.
“These includes self-injection, to prevent unintended pregnancies and support optimal child spacing,” he said. (NAN)
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