Nigeria urged to boost contraceptive rate

Dr Funmilola OlaOlorun, Co-Principal Investigator of PMA2020, emphasised that Nigeria must increase its Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) by 2 per cent annually to meet the Family Planning 2030 targets.

OlaOlorun made this call at the ongoing 8th Nigeria Family Planning Conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

She stressed that Nigeria had a blueprint for achieving the FP2030 targets, but it required strict adherence and increased funding.

OlaOlorun noted that business-as-usual approaches would not suffice, as they will only lead to a 2 per cent increase in CPR over five years.

Dr Samuel Oyeniyi, Director of the Reproductive Health Department at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, concurred that Nigeria was on track to meet the FP2030 targets, but progress was slow.

He emphasised the need for stakeholders to integrate more modern family planning methods to achieve the desired goals.

“I believe that integrating more modern methods will help us achieve more. I think this is a key gap we need to address.

“Fortunately, we already have a clear direction and know how to move forward.

“We are on track, and with increased effort, I am confident we will meet our target,” Oyeniyi said.

Dr Ejike Oji, Chairman of the Management Committee of the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP), highlighted the importance of family planning in achieving sustainable development in Nigeria.

He noted that in spite of progress, challenges persisted, including disparities in access to family planning services.

It was reported that the conference aims to address these challenges and accelerate progress towards achieving the FP2030 targets.