By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal

The Kwara Government on Tuesday, said the state has recorded improved family planning activities in the past three and half years.

The Kwara Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, made this known in her address at The Challenge Initiative (TCI) Next Generation Dissemination and Transition meeting in Ilorin.

According to her, collaboration with family planning (FP) development partners has improved the uptake of FP modern contraceptive methods across health facilities in the state.

She stated that development partners had helped to transform the state’s landscape of family planning and reproductive health services over the past three and half years.

“The collaboration with development partners has improved maternal and child health services, as well as empowered families.

“The partnership between TCI and state ministry of health has been able to scale-up proven-to-work approaches, for high impact practices, which was initially just a theory but now practical.

“Additionally, this partnership has helped strengthen the family planning system and data use; fostered community engagements and demands, and has helped improved resource mobilisation,” she said.

El-Imam called on relevant stakeholders in the state to give renewed pledge to prioritise family health as a cornerstone of development journey.

She also called for integration of these successes recorded by TCI into health programmes and policies and continually innovate to meet the evolving health needs of citizens of the state.

The commissioner enjoined all relevant stakeholders, healthcare workers and traditional rulers to cooperate in ensuring that every Kwara resident has access to quality reproductive health services.

Also speaking, the Director TCI, Nigeria, Dr Taiwo Johnson, commended the state government and its personnel for providing enabling environment for development partners to thrive.

She said that the organisation would continue to support at the back end to see that family planning situation in the state does not go back to what it used to be.

On his part, Mr Kunle Omotosho, a TCI official, described the three and half years’ collaboration of the group with the Kwara government in family planning as “highly beneficial and impactful”.

He called for improved finance and increase in social mobilisation, while he hailed a record of 70 per cent uptake of family planning in the state. (NAN)
(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Yetunde Fatungase

By Magdalene Ukuedojor

Prof. Patience Ukiri-Mudiare, a gender specialist and female genital mutilation (FGM) survivor, says those who practice FGM need to be incarcerated as deterrent to end the barbaric practice.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Ukiri-Mudiare said the vile act infringes on rights of children as a vulnerable group and women, who are often forced by norms and cultural practice.

“Some of these cultural practices still go on undetected and underground. So we must fish them out and punish them.

“I also am a victim of that. I have undergone female genital mutilation, but I don’t think it is right. Women don’t need it.

“So any parent that does that, not only should be fined, but jailed.

“By the time they are incarcerated, when they come out, that stigma of having been jailed will maybe caution other parents.

“And we should report, if anybody knows of any person whose child has undergone that female genital mutilation, they should report to the appropriate quarters.

“And so there has to be awareness as to where to go, not just going to the police station; they may not take you seriously.”

Meanwhile the World Health Organisation (WHO) in April 2025 raised an alarm following evidence which suggest that the FGM practice is now increasingly performed by health workers.

The organisation noted that in 2020, an estimated 52 million girls and women were subjected to FGM at the hands of health workers globally.

The organisation, while restating the health sector’s key role in stopping FGM and supporting survivors in several parts of the world, called for urgent measures to curtail rising medicalisation of the practice.

Dr Pascale Allotey, WHO’s Director for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, said FGM is a severe violation of girls’ rights and critically endangers their health, adding that the health sector must be agent for change, rather than perpetrator of the harmful practice.

She added that “evidence shows that no matter who performs FGM, it causes harm.

“Some studies suggest it can even be more dangerous when performed by health workers, since it can result in deeper, more severe cuts.

“Its medicalisation also risks unintentionally, legitimising the practice and may jeopardise broader efforts to abandon the practice.”

She said that for these reasons, WHO’s new guideline recommended professional codes of conduct that expressly prohibit health workers from performing FGM.

The new WHO guideline, titled “The Prevention of Female Genital Mutilation and Clinical Management of Complications”, covers actions for the health sector, governments and affected communities.

The guideline highlights the need for community education and information, alongside effective laws and policies. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

By Abujah Racheal

Nigeria is taking centre stage in Africa’s effort to build stronger, more resilient health systems.

This is by championing sustainable financing and medical oxygen security at the upcoming Africa Primary Health Care Forum (APHCF) scheduled for July 15 in Abuja.

Dr Francis Ohanyido, Director-General of the West African Institute of Public Health, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

Ohanyido said that the forum would be opened by Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.

According to him, Pate will bring together key stakeholders across Africa to chart a path toward universal health coverage (UHC) anchored on robust primary health care (PHC) systems.

“A major highlight of the event will be the Africa regional launch of the Lancet Global Health Commission Report on Medical Oxygen Security.

“The report underscores the critical role oxygen plays in saving lives, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where shortages contribute to preventable deaths,” he said.

Findings by NAN reveal the Lancet report estimates that 6.8 billion dollars is needed annually to meet the global demand for medical oxygen.

Experts say the target is achievable with greater political commitment and domestic financing.

“Nigeria has taken proactive steps by launching its National Oxygen Strategy as far back as 2016, demonstrating early leadership in tackling this issue.

“Strong primary health care is the bedrock of universal health coverage. Investing in it means healthier communities, better outcomes, and resilience against future health shocks, the minister said in a recent statement.

He said that at the heart of the APHCF was also a strong focus on alignment of donor funding with national priorities.

He said that there was also the need for sound public financial management (PFM) to ensure that health resources were effectively utilised.

“These principles are central to the Lusaka Agenda, a global push for countries to reduce aid dependency and gain ownership of their health systems.

“The key advantage of the Lusaka Agenda is its potential to transform global health initiatives by promoting stronger, more sustainable, and equitable health systems.

“This can be done through a shift towards domestic financing and improved coordination, he said.

Ohanyido said that a flagship plenary session on partnerships would further examine how alignment and transparent financial flows can unlock progress in PHC delivery.

According to him, the plenary will be led by the World Bank and Global Financing Facility, Nigeria, Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, UNICEF, and the Government of Nigeria.

He said that Nigeria’s adoption of the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) in health, where all stakeholders contribute to a unified national health plan, was being held up as a model for effective collaboration.

“The forum’s focus on oxygen access, sustainable financing and alignment could mark a major turning point for Africa’s health systems.

“As countries across the continent grapple with limited resources and high disease burdens, stakeholders say the APHCF is not just a conference, but a call to action.

“Universal health coverage and health security require more than declarations, they demand sustainable, scalable investments in primary health care, The time to act is now,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman

By Abujah Racheal

Several states in Nigeria on Thursday showcased innovative financing models for family planning services, with a focus on sustainability and increased access.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the models were unveiled at the National Policy Dialogue on Improving Adolescent Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services.

The theme of the dialogue is “Improving Adolescent Access to Quality Sexual and Reproductive Health Services”, organised by Nigeria Health Watch and its partners.

The models showcased include co-financing strategies, public-private partnerships and leveraging existing state structures like the State Annual Operation Plan.

The dialogue brought together experts and stakeholders to explore practical, equity-focused strategies for strengthening SRHR outcomes in Nigeria.

At a high-level stakeholders’ forum, representatives from Kano State, Ogun, and the Challenge Initiative (TCI) shared their experiences and innovative financing mechanisms aimed at strengthening local health systems and improving family planning coverage.

Dr Binyerem Ukaire, the Director of Family Health, Coordinating Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, acknowledged Nigeria’s persistent funding gaps but emphasised that opportunities exist for federal support to subnational governments.

However, Ukaire urged states to “take the bull by the horns” by allocating specific budget lines for family planning in their annual plans.

Responding to this call, Malam Aminu Bashir, Permanent Secretary, Kano State, outlined how the state has developed one of the most robust financing mechanisms for family planning in the country.

Bashir highlighted the Common Health Trust Fund, which pools resources from all 44 local government areas and the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR).

“A percentage of this fund is earmarked specifically for family planning services.

“For the first time, Kano State also has a dedicated budget for family planning.

“This is complemented by a tripartite funding mechanism involving the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Nangwete Foundation, and the state government, allowing for broader support and implementation of SRH programmes,” he said.

From Ogun State, a similar commitment to sustainability was echoed. Dr Tomi Coker, Commissioner for Health, Ogun State, explained how co-financing arrangements supported by TCI helped build internal capacity to cost and procure commodities, shifting gradually from donor-led to state-led procurement.

“Ogun State is now procuring its family planning commodities, and they are free at the point of use to women. “We also leveraged counterpart funding with UNFPA and used the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) to support service delivery, she said.

Other financing innovations in Ogun State, she said include tapping into the Drug Management Agency’s fund for vulnerable groups and engaging the private sector and corporate bodies to recognise family planning as a shared development responsibility.

“Many still think family planning is the donor’s job. We are working to change that mindset.

“We have a budget line, but accessing it can be slow, so we creatively use executive approval limits to ensure supply is not disrupted,” she said.

Speaking on the national impact of these efforts, Dr Taiwo Johnson, National Coordinator of the Challenge Initiative (TCI), provided an overview of the model.

According to Johnson, TCI supports states through a “business-as-usual” model, where states commit their funds to ensure the continuity and sustainability of SRH interventions.

“States must express interest and commit to funding their programmes within three to three-and-a-half years of engagement with TCI.

 “This model ensures that investments are not just donor-dependent but also locally driven and sustainable.”

She added that while challenges such as delayed budget releases and weak political will persist in some areas, TCI has recorded significant wins in others—including improved budgeting practices, capacity building, and increased domestic funding for family planning services.

NAN reports that stakeholders at the event agreed that Nigeria’s health system, especially its reproductive health ecosystem, cannot rely solely on external support.

Subnational commitment and innovation are vital to meeting the country’s FP2030 goals and achieving Universal Health Coverage.

Meanwhile, Mrs Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, also a panel moderator, said, “As we have seen today, different states are finding localised solutions.

“The real challenge now is how to scale these successes and ensure every woman, no matter where she lives, can access family planning services when she needs them.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Abujah Racheal

The Integrated Community Listening Survey, conducted by Nigeria Health Watch, has revealed persistent barriers to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), especially among young adults and rural communities.

Ms Anwuli Nwankwo, Knowledge Management Lead, Nigeria Health Watch, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja, at the National Policy Dialogue on Improving Adolescent Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the survey was conducted between March and April 2025 in six states of Lagos, Ebonyi, Cross River, Kano, Niger and Borno, representing the six geo-political zones in Nigeria.

The theme of the event is, “Improving Adolescent Access to Quality Sexual and Reproductive Health Services”, organised by Nigeria Health Watch and its partners.

Nwankwo, in her presentation, said that this was despite the country’s longstanding commitment and programmatic investments in SRHR.

She said that the survey assessed access and barriers to SRHR.

“The cross-sectional study, which drew data from 414 participants, aimed to uncover the realities behind the stagnation in reproductive health progress in Nigeria,” she said.

Nwankwo at the finding’s presentation noted that 50 per cent of participants reported having access to SRHR services and the remaining 50 per cent did not.

She also said that younger individuals aged 18 to 34 faced more significant access challenges.

“Primary healthcare centres remained the first point of contact for most participants, yet many of these facilities could not provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services,” she stated.

The survey also identified cultural beliefs and lack of awareness as the most common barriers to accessing SRHR services.

Other factors she said included distance to health facilities, cost of services, inadequate funding and limited human resources within the health sector.

“These barriers were notably more prominent among respondents aged 35 to 54 who had previously experienced difficulty accessing reproductive healthcare.

“In spite the fact that 81 per cent of respondents said they had not faced any barriers, the remaining 19 per cent who did, pointed overwhelmingly to socio-cultural and informational obstacles,” Nwankwo said.

Alarmingly, she said that younger participants, those aged 18 to 34, were disproportionately affected, suggesting that Nigeria’s youth continued to face systemic challenges in realising their reproductive rights.

She said that the survey’s findings also highlighted that maternal and infant mortality, unintended pregnancies and policy implementation gaps were key consequences of these access barriers.

“While primary health centres dominate as first-access points, their effectiveness is undermined by entrenched systemic and social limitations.

“There is an urgent need for a more targeted and culturally sensitive approach,” she added.

Nwankwo urged the government and development partners to prioritise investment in awareness campaigns, community engagement and health system strengthening.

She further recommended that the country should expand SRHR education through culturally appropriate communication strategies.

She emphasised the need to strengthen the primary healthcare system to deliver integrated reproductive health services, in addition to calling for leveraging mobile health solutions to reach remote and underserved areas.

Nwankwo urged stakeholders to address the economic burden that prevents many individuals from accessing SRHR services.

While the study provided critical insights, she also acknowledged its limitations, such as lack of qualitative depth and the absence of health provider perspectives.

“We identified a lack of awareness as a common barrier, but we couldn’t fully explore why. Is it due to weak public campaigns or community gatekeepers restricting information flow?” Nwankwo asked.

NAN reports that without in-depth understanding of the study cautions, interventions risk being misdirected or ineffective.

However, the findings, experts and stakeholders said, offered a foundation for more data-driven, inclusive policymaking that could help bridge the access gap and strengthen Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring SRHR.

NAN recalls that the National Policy Dialogue hopes to confront the alarmingly high adolescent fertility rate of 117 births per 1,000 on girls aged 15 to 19.

It will also address the low up-take of modern contraceptives among sexually active, unmarried adolescent girls, which stood at just 7.8 per cent. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited Francis Onyeukwu