‘Prevent child, maternal mortality with family planning’

The  Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria-Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health at Scale (PSN-PAS) project has said family planning remains key if the country is to genuinely address the issue of maternal and child mortality. Speaking yesterday, Mr. Ayuba Ibrahim, Programme Director, PSN-PAS posited that access to safe, voluntary child spacing is a human Right which empowers women and help support optimal health decision- making.

Ibrahim who was represented by Dr. Edwin Akpoto, PSN-PAS, Senior Programme officer, added that family planning is key to safe motherhood. He said, “Family planning is universally acknowledged as one of the key pillars of safe motherhood. We want to reaffirm that family planning is one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent maternal, infant, and child mortality as it can reduce maternal mortality by reducing the number of unintended pregnancies, the number of abortions, and the proportion of births at high risk.

“Access to safe, voluntary child spacing information and services is a human right which will empower women and help support optimal health decision-making for themselves and families, thereby helping to strengthen communities and lay the groundwork for a more prosperous, just and equitable future. Unfortunately, many women in Nigeria lack access to quality healthcare, including sexual and reproductive health services.” He was however hopeful that the country could achieve the 27% target with concerted efforts by all.

Ibrahim also advocated the need to equip the private sector Community Pharmacists (CPs) and the Patent and Proprietary Medicines Vendors (PPMVs), saying “We are convinced that this will be a fruitful strategy to reducing the unacceptable maternal, child and adolescent mortalities from preventable pregnancy and childbirth related causes. “We are optimistic however we need concerted efforts and innovation to achieve this goal. One of the innovations is to properly train and empower Community Pharmacists and Patent & Proprietary Medicines Vendors to provide expanded child spacing services,” he said.