Specialist says family planning potent way of reducing infant mortality

Alhaji Yaya Hammari, the Chairman, Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency (GSPHCDA), says family planning is potent way of reducing infant mortality.

Hammari made this known in Gombe on Sunday in an interview with our reporter ahead of the July 11 World Population Day, with 2017 theme as “Family Planning: Empowering People, Developing Nations.”

He said “the simplest way to reduce infant mortality is to plan our family by child spacing to have healthy children.

“Family planning has been in existence for a long period of time, though in a traditional way.

“As a man, I know in those days if a woman puts to bed, she will be taken away from the husband for a period of two years.

“This is to prevent her from conceiving while the baby is still small; is that not family planning?” he asked.

He appealed to the public to take advantage of modern techniques of family planning to space their children to ensure their healthy growth.

The chairman advised mothers to always visit health facilities to seek professional advice and choose methods to adopt for their family planning.

He called for collaboration between the state’s Ministry of Health and SPHCDA for successful healthcare delivery to the populace.

The chairman, who is a retired health personnel, commended Mamaye Evidence for Action, an international organisation in Gombe, campaigning for Maternal and Neonatal survival For good job.

He also commended other development partners “for the wonderful work they are doing in ensuring good healthcare delivery for the citizenry.”

He, however, said “these organisations will not be here forever, therefore, we must look for a way to sustain what they have started.”