FG says rate of Nigeria’s population growth a threat, moves to ‘expand access to contraceptive implants’

The Federal Government has raised concerns over Nigeria’s population growth rate, saying it portended great danger to the welfare of the people if left unchecked.

Available global data by experts shows that by 2040, Nigeria’s population growth would have quadrupled, worryingly so, as there were no commensurate social amenities and employment opportunities to cater for it.

To slow the growth rate therefore, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, has advocated the use of Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWS), to address the problems of shortage and poor distribution of manpower needed for the provision of access to family planning services in rural communities and other hard-to-reach areas.

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He made the call in Abuja while speaking on the topic, “The Relevance of Operations Research in Family Planning Programming in Nigeria” during the formal presentation of the report of a study by Marie Stopes Nigeria, which assessed the provision of implant contraceptives by CHEWS.

The Minister, represented by Director, Family Health Department, Ministry of Health, Dr. Adebimpe Adebiyi, said, “We all know that we cannot continue with the rate at which our population is increasing. It is expedient for us to task-shift the delivery of family planning services in Nigeria to CHEWS.

“CHEWS are to be regarded as an important cadre of contraceptive implant providers readily available for the expansion of access to family planning services in Nigeria.”

Expressing delight with the result of the study by Marie Stopes Nigeria which provides evidence needed to demonstrate that CHEWS could safely provide implants to clients, Adewole urged stakeholders to collaborate with the  Ministry to ‘’expand access to contraceptive implants and to ensure that the country makes quantum leaps in the use of evidence-based interventions towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.’’

 

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