By Esenvosa Izah
Lagos – An NGO, Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) 2, says it will support the Lagos State Government to increase its Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) by 12 per cent by 2020.
The Team Leader, NURHI’s Lagos Office, Dr Omasan Edun, made the pledge at a training on Family Planning (FP) organised for journalists on Wednesday in Lagos.
The training was organised by NURHI and Development Communications Network (DEVCOMS).
“Nigeria is committed to a goal at increasing the country’s CPR from the current 15 per cent to 27 per cent at the FP conference held in London in 2012.
“We know that the government cannot do it alone and so, partners came together and committed to help support the government to increase the CPR by 12 per cent.
“By 2020, we would have added 12 per cent to the CPR of the state we are supporting.
“For example, Lagos State is targeting 74 per cent CPR; we hope that the state will have to move from its current 48 per cent to 60 per cent by the time we add 12 per cent,“ he said.
Edun said that the organisation aims to use a multi-reinforcing approach whereby awareness and supply of commodities are increased.
According to him, the aim is to strengthen the health structure to be able to meet up with the demand for FP.
“We are also calling on policy makers to create an enabling environment to support the approach so that when all of that come together, we can use data to drive decision.
“We can then achieve the CPR by 12 per cent, “ Edun said.
The leader said that essence of the training was to improve the knowledge and understanding of the media on FP in Nigeria.
He said that media have the tools to impact society including policies.
“We need the media to ask those pertinent questions directed at policy makers across all levels, including the state, local government and communities.
“Begin to ask questions that will elicit reactions as to what the government is doing to address the reproductive health of women and men in the country.
“This is necessary because of the prevailing circumstances we, as a country are in right now; maternal deaths as at today is totally unacceptable.
“Nigeria currently has the second worse indices in the world after China; this cannot continue.
“So, we need the voice of the people through the media to begin to address and tackle these issues.
“We need compelling stories as evidence to tell our policy makers that they need to act now, “ he said.
Also, the Project Director, DEVCOMS, Mr Akin Jimoh, urged husbands to support their wives in making decisions on FP methods.
Jimoh said: “When we talk about child spacing, it is a business of both sexes; there are commodities for both male and female.
“A lot of times we emphasise on women, neglecting the men. FP has to be done with the cooperation of both parties and if one party disagrees it becomes an issue.
“For men, we have to look at the economic and health implications of FP for the family.
“As the head of the family, a man is responsible for the quality of life of his family.
“Men should take the leading role when it comes to planning family. “
