By Asmau Ahmad
The Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) has said that family planning can help reduce the high number of unsafe abortions in the country if well embraced by families.
Secretary of SOGON, Prof. Chris Aimakhu stated this at the end of a virtual media training organised by the Rotary Action Group for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health Nigeria (RMCH).
It was gathered that the SOGON in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, and the German Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development organised the training.
Dr Aimakhu said that about 2.3milion unwanted pregnancies would be prevented with increased contraceptive use while 829, 000 unsafe abortions would be averted.
“Family planning has yielded dramatically positive gains over the past 50 years. However, there are still 190 million women around the world, mostly in developing countries who are not using contraception despite the desire to space or limit the number of births.
“Contraceptive use is still low while the need is high. Government and donor agencies must also carry out urgent interventions to increase contraceptives’ uptake in the country,” Aimakhu said.
Also, Prof. Abubakar Panti of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, said that unmet need for contraception is a contributing factor to high maternal deaths in the country.
“In developing countries, women continue to die because they lack access to contraception. Each pregnancy multiplies a woman’s chances of dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth.
“Maternal mortality rates are particularly high for young and poor women because they lack access to contraceptive services. It is estimated that one in three deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth can be avoided if women will have access to contraceptive services,” he said.
Similarly, Prof. Emmanuel Lufadeju, the National Coordinator of Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health Nigeria (RMCH), said that restrictive access to contraceptives and modern family planning methods had contributed to the high population in the country.
“Family planning must be prioritised because the country is at the risk of a population explosion which will have an adverse effect on our socioeconomic development.
“It will also overstretch our already inadequate social amenities. The unmet need for contraception among married women is about 19 per cent, while among unmarried women is about 48 per cent.
“We must begin to put emphasis on responsible parenting to be able to escape the calamity of an unplanned population explosion,” Lufadeju said.
