Chioma Umeha

BY CHIOMA UMEHA Notwithstanding that a 60-year-old nurse, Abiola Adekoya, is a retired civil servant, she is still working tirelessly to ensure that every woman who needs to delay pregnancy or totally avoid pregnancy has access to family planning on a pro-bono basis in Lagos. For Adekoya, no Nigerian woman should die from pregnancy-related reasons if there is unhindered access, availability and use of family planning.  The family planning facilitator and resident social worker in Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Lagos State, in an exclusive interview with this Reporter said that the use of family planning enables mothers and their babies to be healthier, and avoid risky pregnancies. “I started my family planning training in ogun State between 1986 and 1987,” the veteran in family planning stated, describing her foray into pro-bono services. “In 1991, I was transferred to the Lagos State Service Commission (LSCC), where I worked in various Local Government Areas (LGAs). I joined

BY CHIOMA UMEHA   Dr. Obi Peter Adigwe, Director-General, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) has beaten thousands of contenders to emerge the first prominent healthcare chief executive to clinch the highly coveted Productivity Awards for the 2019/2020 session. Officials at the Ministry of Labour and Productivity indicate that Dr. Adigwe emerged tops following a vigorous evidence-based selection process that reviewed hard-work, excellence, innovation and productivity output from 2017 to 2020. Barring any last minute changes, sources indicate that Mr. President would personally confer the award on Thursday,  May 12, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa. Adigwe is being conferred with the National Productivity Order Of Merit (NPOM) Award by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigería, Muhammadu Buhari, in recognition of his high productivity. It would be recalled that in 2017 and 2018, Adigwe had as Executive Secretary of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

By CHIOMA UMEHA Experts have continued to advocate for the integration of HIV and family planning services as part of a comprehensive strategy to prevent unplanned pregnancies and HIV transmission from mother to child. According to studies, the comprehensive strategy is the most effective way to increase contraceptive use among women who want to avoid or delay pregnancy in order to prevent HIV transmission to their children. Unfortunately, Nigeria is one of the countries where a number of health-care system barriers are preventing the effective and long-term delivery of family planning and HIV services under one roof. Despite the fact that Nigeria has signed global agreements, there are significant gaps in translating policy support into widespread practice. This is just as research has proven PMTCT as a better strategy for HIV management in children as the new antiretroviral treatment (ART) is still at the pilot stage in the country. Regrettably, programmes to prevent mother-to-child

By CHIOMA UMEHA In line with global calls, boosting family planning services for women who want to delay or prevent pregnancy would address preventable maternal and new-born deaths in the country. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate (MMR) is 814 per 100,000 live births. Furthermore, the WHO report revealed that increased access and use of modern contraceptives by women of reproductive ages between 15 and 45 years would curb maternal mortality. The goal is to achieve a world where every pregnancy is wanted. Experts insist that maternal mortality would be avoidable if family planning is integrated in the country’s health system to control the country’s fertility and maternal mortality rate. A look at Nigeria’s population dynamics reveals that it is made up of a majorly young reproductive populace. Nigeria’s population is put at 215,105,356 as of Wednesday, April 6, 2022, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data.

The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Wednesday organised a sensitisation programme on its guidelines for registration of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) regulated products at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Hall, Ikeja, Lagos. Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, Director-General, NAFDAC, said the aim of the programme was to sensitise the public and specifically the operators of the NAFDAC Regulated Products Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise (MSME) Industry. Prof. Adeyeye said that NAFDAC has a statutory responsibility to safeguard public health through the execution of its mandate which is to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, bottled and packaged water, chemicals – generally referred to as regulated products. She said that on assumption of office on November 30, 2017, she resolved to consolidate the ga

A Non-Governmental advocacy working group, Family Health Initiative, Ogun (FAHIO) has sought the support and cooperation of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), of government in the process of making consumables available in the public health facilities. This was revealed in a statement made available by the Media Officer of the group, Mrs. Waliyat Odemakin, after an advocacy visit by the group to the Ogun State Head of Service and some top government officials in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta. The Chairperson of FAHIO, Mrs. Kemi Balogun at the visit emphasized the need for increased contraceptive uptake and access to quality family planning services, adding that success on these would help the state achieve its targeted 52 percent Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) by year 2020 as well as reduction in Maternal Mortality and Morbidity rate to the barest minimal. According to Balogun, Improved Family Wellbeing and proactiveness of government agencies in the implementation of policies and

Advocacy Core Group, a Child Birth Spacing Advocacy Working Group, has commended Kebbi state M inistry of Health and Ministry of Budget and Planning for creating a budget line for Child Birth Spacing (CBS) programme in the state. The body with approval for advocacy on sustainable funding for CBS in the state which started in 2015, supported by Pathfinder International, has finally hit a milestone on actualization of its key demand – the creation of a dedicated budget line for CBS activities. According to its statement issued on Tuesday 24th September 2019 at a work plan development workshop, also supported by Pathfinder International, the move made by the state government will be a game changer towards improving the state’s Contraceptive Prevalence Rate which currently stands at 3.2% as shown by the Nigeria Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) 2018 report. “We would like to commend and appreciate the action of the government for taking a step towards increasing access to CBS services in th