The Lagos State Commissioner
for Health, Dr. Olajide Idris, has charged Nigerian media to ensure propagation
of accurate information on Family Planning (FP), reports NaijaAgroNet.
Dr. Idris in his address
to a three-day workshop on Advance Family Planning (AFP) Smart Media Advocacy by the Pathfinder International
in Lagos, commended the orgnisers and enjoined all hands to be on the deck.
The
Commissioner represented by the Director, Family Health Unit, Lagos State
Ministry of Health, Dr. Shade Oludara, said, “Media needs to spread the correct
information at all times, and not confuse the people the more.”
Oludara who led a
delegation comprising the Coordinator Family Planning, Lagos State Ministry of
Health, Dr. Okaga Sidiat, stressed that Lagos would soon enter into some community
health campaigns which media could help in propagating.
Equally, the
Commissioner highlighted some traditions and misconceptions militating against
adequate Family Planning uptake, especially on Modern Contraceptive Prevalent
Rate (MCPR) in the state.
In some instance, he
said, “Some people told our FP team in one of their sensitization programs that
family planning is bad and as a woman, you need to bring out all the eggs God
has given you by birthing, else it would turn to cancer.”
Equally
speaking, Dr. Okaga, who doubles as Coordinaator, Reproductive Health in the state,
urged media practitioners to always approach her office for confirmations and
clarifications where necessary.
This, she
said would forestall any misinformation, hence Pathfinder is trying to close
this gap with this workshop.
She further
outlined some key words media practitioners in family planning should take note
of to include, Contraceptive Prevalent Rate (CPR), FP - family planning; and RH
- Reproductive health to name a few.
According to her, when
family planning is properly done, mortality rate will reduce drastically to
over 30 per cent and meeting the target of 74 per cent CPR uptake by end of
2020.
Earlier in his welcome
address, the Associate Director at Pathfinder International office in Nigeria,
Dr. Habeeb Salami, said that the workshop objective is to change the narrative
on family planning in the country for good.
Dr. Oludare later inaugurated the Lagos State Family Planning Media Working Group, led by Mrs. Chioma Umeha.
Dr. Oludare later inaugurated the Lagos State Family Planning Media Working Group, led by Mrs. Chioma Umeha.
Remmy Nweke & Isaac Oyimah/ED, Ops