Revised population policy to boost sexual, reproductive health services, says FG

By Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

The Federal government has disclosed that the revised National Population Policy is put together by the National Poplation Commission, NPC, is intended to boost Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in the country.

The NPC Chairman, Nasir Isa Kwarra made this disclosure at  a  media engagement on the revised National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development organised by Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) in Abuja.

According to him, the strategies for ensuring high quality sexual and reproductive health services involve creating a supportive environment as well as creating demand and increase access to services.

Kwarra while making reference to the evidence available  lamented that about 19 percent of family planing and use of contraceptive in the country  is significantly low.

He said,  the policy  intends to expand family planing activities at all levels to provide availability, choice and increase for all.
“Available evidence suggests that there is a high level of unmet need of 19 percent for family planning in Nigeria and the use of modern contraception is significantly low, currently at 12 percent (NDHS 2018).

“Activities shall be expanded at all levels to provide availability, choice and increase utilisation of family planning, childbirth spacing (FP/CBS), including the implementation of the revised blueprint on FP and related fertility management”.

He added that government at all levels shall ensure the availability and accessibility of affordable family planning services to all couples and individuals who voluntarily seek them.

The Coordinator of African Health Budget Network (AHBN), Dr Aminu Magashi Garba, in his remarks  said, the aim of the meeting is to engage the media on the contents of the revised population policy.

This he added is geared towards ensuring that  media practitioners  become champions and partners of the Sustainable Development Goals

“President Muhammadu Buhari signed the revised National Population Policy in February 2022 and the commission and other government agencies are expected to promote the agenda of the Policy.

“The contents of the policy is aims to reduce the country’s maternal mortality ratio from 512 per 100, 000 live births to 72 per 100,000 live births; and to attain zero maternal deaths by 2030”, Magashi said.