Fubara approves N126m for family planning kits

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the release of N126m for the procurement and distribution of essential family planning kits.

The governor said the state was leading among states in providing funding for capacity building of family planning service providers and community mobilisation.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, disclosed this while speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

She said the released funds would cover the procurement of “long-acting contraceptive agents like Mirena intrauterine devices and implants for women who desire to space their births for longer periods” as well as “shorter-acting and barrier methods like male condoms, and Depo-Provera, the three monthly contraceptive injections for reproductive and family health”.

Oreh stated, “Specifically, I wish to commend His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for approving and releasing the sum of N126m for the procurement and distribution of essential family planning commodities, in addition to capacity building of FP service providers, and community mobilisation for demand generation.

“The Rivers State Government, under the dynamic and able leadership of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has demonstrated leadership and commitment by facilitating this unprecedented release for the procurement of family planning commodities to further address the wide gap in funding for FP commodity procurement.

“This is with a view to increasing the modern contraceptive prevalence rate, reducing the unmet need for family planning and consequently reducing maternal, infant, and child mortality in Rivers State.”

The commissioner said the intervention would help to avert “unintended pregnancies, preventing abortions, and averting maternal and child deaths.”

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