Health experts decry 17% contraceptive use rate in Nigeria

Health professionals at a webner on the role of contraception in ensuring ideal family size have decried its low use by Nigerians.

The experts similarly frowned at the tendency by many couples to make more children than they could conveniently raise, thereby placing themselves and the larger community in stressful resource situations.

Participants at the webner who noted that use of contraceptives in Nigeria is not more than 17 percent, described the rate as alarmingly low.

The webner which was hosted by Development Communications Metwork, DevCome, with support from The Challenge Initiative, TCI Nigeria, featured Professor Josiah Mutihir of Jos University Teaching Hospital and other health professionals who called attention to the critical role of contraception in empowering Nigerians to take control of their reproductive health and socio-economic wellbeing.

Mutihir and the other health professionals at the webner said expanding access to contraception would reduce maternal mortality, improve socio-economic conditions of families, and place young people in positions to take informed steps in the making of children.

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The participants at the webner, organised as part of activities by DevCom and TCI Nigeria to mark this year’s World Contraception Day on the theme, ‘Breaking Barriers: Advancing Access to Family Planning in Resource-limited Settings’, emphasized the need for Nigeria to address unbridled procreation and avoid the hardship it causes.

Making the point that poor funding mainly accounts for low access to and use of different family planning methods and services, the health professionals canvassed increased funding by national, state and local authorities.

They also charged religious, ethnic and community leaders to educate their communities on the need for helpful contraceptive practices.