Onitsha – About 500 women of reproductive age, access family planning annually at St. Monica Healthcare Centre, Fegge, Onitsha South Local Government Area (LGA), on a monthly basis.
The Officer-In-Charge of the Healthcare Centre, Mrs Vivian Obidi who disclosed this while speaking with TNC Correspondent at the facility on Tuesday, said the number comprises women, who adopt fresh family planning practices and those that review their various methods.
Family planning methods have been advised as a way to addressing the issue of the impending population explosion and the resultant hardship it brings.
According to Mrs Obidi, the response of the women to family planning was as a result of Community Oriented Resource Persons (CORPS) initiative, which the health workers adopted to reach out to women in the area, through street to street awareness on family planning and the various methods to ensure that every woman of child bearing age would be well informed on birth control.
She observed that the figure indicates that more women are beginning to embrace family planning as a veritable means to space their children, across the state.
“The number comprises women, who adopt fresh family planning practices and those that review their various methods. Through CORPS, the healthcare givers go from street to street to create awareness on family planning and the various methods to ensure that every woman of childbearing age would be well informed on birth control,” she revealed.
Mrs Obidi said that the health workers through CORPS normally go-ahead to administer family planning at the doorsteps of the homes and business places of those that responded positively.
She explained that the CORPS initiative had gone a long way to also educate men on the streets on the benefits of family planning.
She, however, urged the media to help to educate not only women but men on the advantages of family planning so that there would be full access to the process in the state.
According to her, high access to family planning will help to reposition Nigeria’s economy as well as create healthy living among the citizens.
Mrs Obidi commended the State Government for the basic infrastructure provided at the healthcare facility which she said, has enhanced their practice on the job.
