Family planning, not only for women – Health official

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

Dr Eno Attah, Secretary of the Akwa Ibom State Primary Health Care Development Agency (AKSPHCDA) has urged men to embrace family planning initiatives to improve their standard of living.

Attah gave the task during a press briefing marking the 2024 World Contraception Day in Uyo on Thursday.

Our correspondent reports that the theme of the 2024 World Contraception Day is: “A Choice for All, Freedom to Plan, Power to Choose.”

The World Contraception Day commenced in 2007, to improve awareness of contraception and enable young people to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health.

According to her, the theme highlighted the importance of access to contraception for bodily autonomy and achieving one’s full potential.

The secretary, who was represented by Mrs Stella Etim, the Director of Community Health Services in Akwa Ibom State Primary Health Care Development Agency, noted that family planning was not only for women.

She added that the theme was apt, noting that everyone should embrace family planning initiatives, especially in that economic hardship to have a healthy population.

Attah said that family planning is essential for women’s empowerment, poverty reduction, economic development, improved health outcomes and sustainable population growth.

“Family planning is not for women alone; it is for husband and wife. It is not something that a wife will sneak out to go and take.

“Husband and wife should agree to plan their family for economic growth and empowerment,” Attah said.

Attah stated that the state government was doing everything possible to ensure that funds were allocated to family planning to buy commodities and consumables for the citizenry.

She charged religious and community leaders in the state to join the government and other partners in creating awareness of family planning in their communities.

In her remarks, Mrs Enobong Eshiet, State Coordinator of Family Planning at Akwa Ibom State Primary Health Care Development Agency, said that commodities were always available in all health facilities in the state, for family planning services.

Eshiet, however, urged women to see family planning as a choice and be willing to choose any method that was good for them to plan the family size they could care for.

She commended all donor agencies and partners for their support in disseminating adequate information on family planning methods to residents across the 31 local government areas.

Eshiet revealed that the media involvement activities have improved the uptake in family planning in Akwa Ibom State.

Goodwill messages were received from the Challenge Initiative (TCI), Plan Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN), MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices, among other partners.