Chioma Umeha
With a contraceptive prevalence rate for modern methods of
10 per cent, there is big concern among experts that Nigeria is among those
with poor contraceptive indices despite the significant investments made over
the last decade.
Expressing worry, Dr. Farouk Jega, Country Director,
Pathfinder International in a statement to mark this year’s World Contraception
Day said, Nigeria’s teeming population provides great potential of developing
industrious youths that would guarantee the country’s development.
However, Dr. Jega stressed that this depends on largely on
increasing investment in youths’ education, skill empowerment, health,
especially in the area of reproductive health, among others.
The Pathfinder International boss said, “With a population
nearing 200 million, about a quarter of who are young people, Nigeria has a
good opportunity of harnessing the so-called demographic dividend by turning
the ‘youth bulge’ into a productive segment contributing meaningfully to
economic growth and development.
“But this demographic dividend can only be achieved if the
necessary investments are made in the young population – investments in their
education, skills development and health care, including access to full and
voluntary family planning.
“Despite the significant investments made in the last decade
or so, Nigeria’s contraceptive prevalence rate for modern methods is still a
lowly 10 per cent.”
Bemoaning the situation, the Pathfinder International CEO
said, Nigeria recently committed to significantly increase funding for
contraceptive commodities at the London FP2020 Summit.
Despite this commitment, he decried the existence of funding
gaps, noting that most states in the country have yet to prioritise family
planning, and few have made budgetary provisions for this important service.
“Stock outs of key commodities are beginning to resurface in
many health centers, further compounding an unmet need of women for
contraceptive services, which is currently at 21 per cent.
It would be recalled that the latest edition of Goalkeepers,
a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation annual publication on the United Nations’
Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) stressed on the need to track progress
towards achieving SDGs.
The publication drew attention to the stark reality that
unless something is done urgently, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo
will be house to 40 per cent of the world’s poorest people by 2050.
Dr. Jega further noted that the National Youth Policy is
long overdue for revision to address the reproductive health needs of
adolescents and young people in the country.
He said, “Empowering our youthful population is an urgent
necessity; failure to make the necessary investments in this restless segment
of the population portends serious consequences, some of which may have already
started manifesting in increased levels of insecurity and violent crimes across
the country.
“Improving access to, and quality of family planning
services has long been recognised as one of the most cost-effective
interventions to address both maternal and child mortality.”
However, he identified recent positive developments,
including, the task sharing policy of 2014 has enabled the training of many
health care workers at the primary health care level to provide key services
they were not hitherto providing, including contraceptive services.
Many State Ministries of Health have developed costed
implementation plans for family planning, and a few have identified funding for
implementation of such plans, he said.
But, the Country Director stressed that obstacles to access
still exist, adding; “Apart from stock out of commodities, provider bias is
another reason why women (especially young women) don’t have access to a full
range of family planning options.
“Many providers erroneously believe that certain
contraceptive methods are not suited for young people.”
He recommended that such erroneous belief should be
addressed through constant retraining of health workers.
But, Dr. Jega lamented that the demographic window of
opportunity is, unfortunately, not going to last forever, insisting; “Now is
the time to start making those strategic investments in young people.
“As we enter into another election season, it is imperative
that we make the connection between our burgeoning population that largely lacks
access to opportunities, and the increased level of poverty and insecurity
bedeviling our country.
“Making the necessary investments in human capital,
especially in the youthful segment of the population, should be given the
desired attention.”
The World Contraception Day takes place on September 26
every year.
Since 1957, Pathfinder has partnered with local governments,
communities, and health systems to remove barriers to critical sexual and
reproductive health services. Across 19 countries, we expand access to
contraception, promote healthy pregnancies, save women’s lives, and stop the
spread of new HIV infections, wherever the need is most urgent.
Their work ensures millions of women, men, and young people
are able to choose their own paths forward.
