Reproductive health stakeholders have identified family planning as a cornerstone for national development, emphasising that every dollar spent on contraceptive services saves three dollars in maternal and newborn healthcare costs.
Speaking at the ongoing 8th Nigeria Family Planning Conference 2024 on Wednesday in Abuja, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Dr Ejike Orji, described family planning as a transformative tool that saves lives, reduces maternal and infant mortality, promotes gender equity, and fosters economic progress.
The conference, themed “Sustaining Commitments for Family Planning within Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative,” calls for intensified collaboration and innovation to advance the country’s progress toward the FP2030 goals.
“It saves lives, reduces maternal and infant mortality, promotes gender equity, and advances social and economic progress. The evidence is clear. One dollar invested in contraceptive services saves three dollars in maternal and newborn health costs by reducing unintended pregnancies,” he said
Dr Orji, the chairman of the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP), said that these savings unlock critical investments in education, infrastructure, and healthcare, fostering the conditions needed to achieve the country’s demographic dividend.
At the 2012 London Summit on Family Planning, Nigeria pledged to strengthen advocacy, improve supply chains, and promote innovative family planning solutions. Since then, the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) has risen marginally from 12 per cent to 15 per cent, while unmet needs stand at 21 per cent.
High fertility rates and low family planning uptake continue to challenge maternal and child health outcomes, Dr Orji remarked.
According to him, family planning programmes are making strides in the country even though challenges persist, stating that disparities in assets shaped by regional, educational, and socioeconomic differences continue to deny millions of women and girls the autonomy to make decisions about their reproductive health.
“The global family planning movement, catalysed by initiatives like the 2012 London Summit on Family Planning and the 2030 Partnership, has galvanised action worldwide. While progress has been made, the unmet contraceptive needs and low contraceptive prevalence rate in the country signal the need for intensified efforts,” he said.
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