By Asmau Ahmad
The Chairman, Technical Management Committee, Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP), Dr Ejike Oji says Nigeria’s Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) is very low.
He told newsmen in Abuja that the state of CPR or Family Planning (FP) in the country was still far from achieving the desired goal.
Contraceptive is a device used to prevent fertilisation of an egg, e.g. a condom worn by a man during intercourse, or a pill taken regularly by a woman.
CPR is the proportion of women of reproductive age who are using or whose partner is using a contraceptive method at a given point in time.
FP involves the use of different methods of birth control, also known as contraception and fertility control, to prevent pregnancy.
Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only became available in the 20th century.
The AAFP boss, who said that Nigeria’s fertility rate at the moment stood at 5.3 percent compared to the 2.5 percent global standard for countries of the world, added that the country’s CPR is very low, thereby making fertility rate very high at 5.3 percent instead of 2.5 percent.
“We will continue to partner with the media in advancing FP. The idea is to have healthier mothers and babies, which will ultimately translate into productive societies and a healthy nation,” he said.
Dr Oji expressed the hope that the country would achieve the 27 percent CPR rate set by the Federal Government, and appealed for more funding toward advancing the course.
He explained that making Family Planning implementable in Nigeria required adequate funding and commitment, especially from government.
He, therefore, urged government at all levels to show commitment to the implementation of Family Planning, which he said was paramount to transiting the nation toward harnessing Demographic Dividends (DD).
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said that achieving the 27 percent CPR by 2024 was possible.
Ehanire said this at the launch of a book entitled ‘Family Planning for A More Productive Nigeria,’ at the 6th Nigeria Family Planning Conference held recently in Abuja.
He expressed willingness to continue to collaborate with relevant partners and stakeholders in the procurement and distribution of contraceptives, aimed at achieving the 27 per cent CPR.
“I must commend UNFPA, USAID and others for their support in the procurement and distribution of Family Planning funding since 2011. I believe that achieving the 27 percent CPR by 2024 is possible with their support,” he said.
The minister, who reiterated the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to the issue of population management, described it as a critical component in national development.
He urged stakeholders to work in synergy in achieving improved family health for all homes, especially women and girls.
