Nasarawa State: Group Condemns Poor Funding Of Family Planning

A Coalition known as Pathfinder International has said the lack of funds has been identified as one factor hindering the proper implementation of family planning programs in Nasarawa State.

The coalition was speaking at a one-day media forum on the status of family planning in Nasarawa state that was held in Lafia

It was organised by the Pathfinder International, in collaboration with Community Link for Health and Family Planning Advocacy CLHFPA.

The Head of the Coalition, Mary Ashenaye, said the sum of 30 million Naira which was appropriated for the family planning program in the 2022 State budget has not been released to the implementing agencies to carry out their activities.

She said that the “lack of funds has stalled the program’s activities across the state.

Ashenaye also decried the lack of political will on the part of the state government to invest in the Family Planning initiative, intended to curb maternal and child mortality.

Also speaking, the Secretary of the coalition Kalu Idika, commended the state government for reviewing the Family Planning budget from N5 million to N30 million per year in the 2022 budget, while noting that prompt release of the funds will hasten the implementation of the program.

However, the representative of the state commissioner of health and coordinator of Family Planning, Salomi Aya said the state government has been doing all within its powers to support all efforts aimed at institutionalizing family planning in the state.

She said the sustained advocacy and support by Pathfinder International, the CLHFPA as well as other collaborators has led to the reduction of maternal and infant mortality in the state.

She commended the media for the active role it’s playing along with other partners in driving the family planning messages.

Aya stated that traditional and religious leaders, who were initially reluctant, are now keying into the initiative.

She, however, said a lot needed to be done in getting women and men in rural communities to embrace the use of contraceptives and other preventive methods.

Representatives of Pathfinder International,Bayo Ewuola and Kosi Izundu, all said the advocacy was intended to strengthen the capacity of the media to effectively report public health issues in the state.

They said the initiative has been yielding dividends with many women embracing child spacing and antenatal as well as other means aimed at averting birth complications.