Proper family planning based on economic capacity by spacing pregnancies to recover health-wise and financially in a way that the woman would have rested enough before the next pregnancy is the way to go.
This will give time for family self-care, and financial stability.
The advice was given by the Chairperson, Interfaith Public Health Advocacy Lagos, Dr. Ajoke Ashiru, at a meeting put together for journalists by the FPLagos Media Advocacy Forum, supported by TCI, where it spelt out the organization’s efforts to increasing family planning uptake.
“If you can take care of three children, no problem. If it’s two, plan wisely so that it doesn’t negatively impact your family’s health or finances,” she advised
Deputy Director, Health Education, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Mrs Esther Samuel, who gave details of government efforts at promoting family planning through training, community outreaches, and provision of essential consumables noted that, the ministry run jingles on radio and television from time to time, conduct health outreaches, and train healthcare workers to ensure quality services.
" These initiatives aim to increase awareness and encourage uptake,” Samuel explained.
On it's part, the Challenge Initiative (TCI) outlined the importance of community mobilization, training, and demand generation in promoting sustainable growth in family planning (FP) awareness and adoption across Lagos State saying that, TCI had done a lot in that regard.
According to the State Programme Manager, Dr. Omotunde Odanye, “We have conducted extensive community mobilization to ensure greater acceptance of family planning in Lagos.
" A lot of mobilizers have been trained, and their capacities have been enhanced to engage with communities effectively, adding that, " Demand generation is critical, but it must be matched with adequate supply, which is why we ensure there are no stock-outs of family planning commodities across facilities,” Dr. Odanye stated.
TCI's strategy focuses on deploying trained mobilizers to areas with the greatest need and integrating family planning education into other health services.
According to Odanye, “Mobilizers engage women accessing other health services, educating them about family planning options. " If a woman decides to adopt a method, she can immediately access the service.”
Efforts also target those who may delay their decision. “Even if the decision is postponed, the women leave with accurate information and resources to access services when they are ready,” Odanye added.
Highlighting the initiative's broader impact, Odanye noted, “Our mobilization efforts often extend beyond our supported facilities. A woman might receive a referral in one location but end up accessing services elsewhere.
This according to Odanye demonstrates the far-reaching effects of our community engagement and media campaigns.”
Part of the highlight indicates that, TCI partnered with local health committees, educators, and media organizations to address misconceptions about family planning.
“We work with voluntary health committees, social mobilization groups, and media platforms like television, radio, and social media to ensure accurate information reaches the public,” Odanye explained.
Despite significant progress, sustaining the gains remains a priority, stating , “We’ve seen remarkable improvements in family planning uptake, but we must intensify our efforts to prevent any decline.
The safety and well-being of Lagos State depend on it,” Odanye emphasized.
As TCI looks to 2025, it plans to build on its success by addressing documentation gaps, supervise service delivery, and ensure measurable results. “Our strategies are effective, and we intend to sustain and improve them to achieve even greater results next year,” Odanye stated.
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