Family planning is an important aspect of reproductive health that involves the use of various methods to control the number and spacing of children in a family. It empowers individuals, couples, and families to make informed decisions about their reproductive health, improve their overall well-being, and achieve their life goals.
In Nigeria, knowledge of any contraceptive method is widespread, according to the 2008 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey report. However, despite this knowledge, contraceptive prevalence is only 15%, and the actual use of contraceptives varies between states in the country and is influenced by sociodemographic factors.
Several years ago, the Centre for Family Health Initiative (CFHI), in partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and other relevant stakeholders, organized a comprehensive training program on Family Planning (FP) and Post-Partum Family Planning (PPFP) services in Kaduna State. The main objective of the program was to enhance community awareness of these services and establish connections between the community and health facilities. The training program targeted all categories of key influencers, and as a result, a total of 921 Traditional Birth Attendance, 513 Traditional/Religious Leaders, 285 Islamiyah School Teachers, and 594 CWO/Zumunta Mata members were successfully reached across the 10 LGAs.
There are many reasons why family planning is important, including:
Promoting maternal and child health: Family planning can help reduce the risk of maternal and infant mortality by allowing women to plan and space their pregnancies, which can improve their overall health and reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
Empowering women: Family planning gives women the ability to make informed decisions about their reproductive health, pursue education and career goals, and achieve greater economic independence and improved social status.
Reducing poverty: Family planning can help reduce poverty by allowing families to have fewer children and invest more resources in each child’s education and well-being.
Protecting the environment: Family planning can help reduce the strain on natural resources by reducing population growth and resource consumption.
Improving the overall quality of life: By allowing individuals and couples to plan and space their pregnancies, family planning can lead to improved overall quality of life for families, communities, and societies.
Access to a broad selection of family planning methods and services is crucial for individuals and couples to make informed decisions about their reproductive health and family well-being.
Monday Health Burst is an initiative of CFHI to address issues of basic health concern. Join us every Monday on all our social media platforms for more episodes.
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