Family planning spurs economic growth – OGSG

The Ogun Primary Health Care Development Board has said that uptake of different family planning methods will improve the economic powers of individuals and families in the state.

Family planning refers to a woman’s ability to choose if and when she becomes pregnant and continues that pregnancy to term. A large gap persists between women’s reproductive intentions and their access to family planning options including contraceptives and safe abortion.

Elijah Ogunsola, executive secretary, State Primary Health Care Development Board, in an interview during the 2018 Ojude Oba Festival held at the Oba Sikiru Adetona palace ground, Ijebu Ode on Thursday, said the present administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun through the Primary Health Care Board would continue to encourage people in the state to adequately plan their families.

“The family planning is not meant to limit the number of children born but rather give to them better economic power as well as ensure a secured future for the citizen.

“The State’s Social Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) and the Advocacy Working Group (AWG) team are fully on ground to counsel women and also provide family planning services ranging from condoms, Implants, Injectable and IUDs at no cost for everyone at the festival ground and in all primary health care centres across the State,” he said.

Ogunsola noted that the state is working in collaboration with The Challenge Initiative (TCI) to increase in the contraceptive prevalence rate in the state, adding that all methods available were safe and without health risk to their consumers.

In their separate remarks, beneficiaries, Abosede Odumade and Ganiya Olajide appreciated the State government’s efforts at bringing family planning services closer to the people through the Ojude Oba festival saying they would encourage members of the various communities who were yet to take on any family planning methods to do so in any health centre closer to them.