By Zayamu Hassan
The Federal Government has formally launched the Nigeria’s Family Planning 2030 (FP2030) commitment and the dissemination of other Reproductive Health Policy Documents.
Speaking at the formal launch of the commitment in Abuja, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire expressed the commitment of the federal government towards charting a way forward for what he described as a long-term sustainable family planning services.
He said the federal government is committed to continue the journey into FP2030 Partnership Initiative and set in motion the process of charting a way forward towards a long-term sustainable family planning services as an integral part of the overall Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent and Elderly Health Plus Nutrition (RMNCAEH+N) programming.
He stressed that it is a critical component of the vision to attain Universal Health Care Coverage Leaving No One Behind.
Dr Ehanire, however, recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, recently launched the revised National Policy on Population Management for Sustainable Development, where he emphasized the importance of fertility control for improvement of the health of women and children, but also as viable intervention for sustainable growth and socioeconomic development of the country.
“It is estimated that about 100 women still die every day in the process of giving life and about 50% of adolescent girls in Nigeria are already mothers by the time they celebrate their 20th birthday.
“While the above present a gloomy picture, we are aggressively stepping up action and efforts, particularly at the subnational levels to traject the trend in the right direction and bridge the gaps.
“Efforts are ongoing to leverage additional domestic resources and harness the potentials existing within our large but youthful population through concerted and coordinated efforts of multi-sectoral players in the areas of health, women affairs, education and gainful employment, including Humanitarian crisis as the insecurity has impacted negatively on the health education of girls and adolescents,” he noted.
He, however, noted that the key aspiration of the Federal government was to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including for family planning information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes which align with past and ongoing efforts in Nigeria.
According to him: “I am convinced that the realization of this major aspiration would require building on the gains recorded under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the FP2020 Initiative.
“This, therefore, informed the decision to embrace the FP2030 Partnership Agenda which has resulted in the articulation of the set of Commitments that we are about to launch here today.
“Let me remind you that the Federal Ministry of Health ensured an inclusive, broad participation of stakeholders, including participation of Government Ministries and Agencies at both National and sub-National levels, Civil Society Organizations and Youth led NGOs as well as development partners through interactive sessions and several meetings, which led to drafting and validation of our country’s FP2030 Commitments.
“The approaches, responsibilities and obligations necessary for addressing various interests as well as sexual, reproductive health and rights of the various segments of the populace have been considered and outlined in the Commitment Document hence the commitment belongs to all of us,” the Minister explained.
The documents that were launched include; the National Guideline on Self-Care for Sexual, Reproductive and Maternal Health; National Guideline on State-Funded Procurement of Family Planning Commodities; the Hormonal Intra-Uterine Devices (H-IUDs) Introduction and Scale-Up Plan; Family Planning/Reproductive Health (FP/RH) Training Manual and FP/RH Service Protocol.
Other are; roadmap for Sustainable Financing of Family Planning Commodities in Nigeria; National Private Health Sector Engagement Strategic Plan for Family Planning Services; National Social and Behaviour Change Strategy for the Elimination of Obstetric Fistula in Nigeria; and National Protocol on Social Re-integration and Rehabilitation of Women Pre- and Post-Obstetric Fistula Repair in Nigeria.
