By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
Hajia Mariam Balogun, the Ilorin East Local Government Area Family Planning (FP) Supervisor, has reported that more people are accessing family planning consumables on a daily basis.
Balogun stated this in Ilorin during an investigative field trip by Media Advocacy Group on FP in Kwara, at the Okelele Primary Health Care Centre in Ilorin.
According to her, for the last six months, the centre has recorded about 300 people who came to accesse FP methods on child spacing.
She also disclosed that the number is increasing on daily basis as more people are becoming aware of the merits of the methods.
She stated that with the help of The Challenge Initiative, Nigeria (TCI), the FP consumables are given free of charge.
The FP supervisor observed that some parents bring their adolescent wards to receive FP counseling and consumables to gurad against unwanted pregnancies.
Balogun listed some of the contraceptive methods to includes Male Condom, Implant, Injectable, Intra Uterine Devices IUD, Oral Contraception Pills, Tubal ligation and Vasectomy.
She advised parents to help thier adolescent wards guard against sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy through FP contraceptives.
The expert on FP contraceptive and methods observed that there are still misconception and lack of knowledge by some people regarding FP.
Balogun explained that most of the misconception are due to heresy in the grapevine.
She added that though it is safe to use FP methods, some people can witness some side effects, which can easily be rectified in the clinic.
Also speaking, Mrs Memunat Isiaka, the Community Mobilizer on FP in Okelele Primary Healthcare Centre emphasised the importance of mobilizing and enlightening the publics on importance of FP.
She added that they use megaphone on door-to-door awareness campaign to local communities, where they engage with them on various messages on FP.
According to her, this has yielded great results as people are increasingly becoming interested in FP in Kwara.
Isiaka warns that those who use FP methods should avoid indiscriminate sexual practices and should stick to one partner.
