The Federal Government has restated its commitment to developing policies that would enhance access to family planning for couples in the country.
The Director, Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Boladale Alonge said this at the inauguration of the 2023 Annual Family Planning Technical Review meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
Represented by Mrs Bako Aiyegbusi, she said the federal government was determined to eliminate challenges militating against the uptake of family planning.
According to Alonge, the meeting will offer opportunities to close the existing gaps in the family planning advocacy and implementation.
“It is pertinent to note that Federal Ministry of Health is working to expand access to family planning commodities.
“The Federal Government has developed policies to ensure that every couple has access to family planning,” she said.
The director, who expressed gratitude to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and other partners for their support, said that cultural beliefs and other barriers against family planning would be overcome.
Mrs Roseline Ode, Practice Area Lead, Family Planning/Reproductive Health, Society for Family Health, said the meeting was imperative to scale up services for family planning.
Ode described family planning as key to not only ending maternal mortality but producing quality children.
According to her, family planning is imperative for couples in Nigeria and the world at large.
Also, Dr Ejike Oji, Chairman, Technical Management Committee, Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) said that progress was being made in the implementation of FP2030 goal.
Oji affirmed the commitment of the country towards achieving unmet need for family planning, which he said was paramount in realizing the 27 per cent commitment by Nigeria.
