FROM: PAUL ORUDE BAUCHI
Country Director of Health Policy Plus, Onoriode Ezire, has
expressed worry over the high fertility rate in Bauchi State which he
puts at 8.1 of eight births per one woman.
Ezire stated this while giving a presentation during the launch of the
1st State Resources for the Awareness of Impact of Population on
Development (RAPID) held at Banquet Hall of Government House, in Bauchi, on
Wednesday.
Quoting findings of the National Population Commission, Population
Reference Bureau and the Bauchi State Development Plan 2013-2016,
among others, in the presentation titled Bauchi State RAPID Bauchi
State RAPID: The Change We Seek, he said that the fertility rate for
the state is the highest in Nigeria.
He observed that with low use of modern contraceptive methods by women
in the state at 2.1 per cent, the current population of 7.3 million,
is estimated to reach 26 million by 2050.
Ezire expressed concern that unless the high population growth is
controlled, it would impact on the State’s ability to improve the
quality and standard education, health care delivery and employment
opportunities through job creation.
“The State is currently increasing in population, more than the rate
it is growing economically.
“This is a recipe for disaster if this continues; the state
development objectives will not be achieved”
He advised that government should give financial and political support
family planning programme, adding “this has not been the case in the
past, especially from the government budget”
The Country Director said that it is critical that al ministries
consider population in their plans, adding that ministries should not
merely account for population growth but must also recognise that
population growth is variable and can be influenced through their
advocacy efforts.
He appealed to government and nongovernmental organisations to bring
about necessary actions, including programme implementation and
engagement in public –private partnership activities to help reduce
fertility
In his address, Governor Mohammed Abubakar expressed gratitude at
the launch of Bauchi State RAPID, and said the choice of the state to
launch the 1st State RAPID project, a USAID supported programme, was
one of those rare opportunities being extended to his administration
by developmental partners.
“This project will help us better understanding the impact of
population growth on our health indices in particular and healthcare
delivery services in general so that we can adopt strategies to
overcome then challenges,” the governor said.
Abubakar assured the Health Policy Plus that “the recommendations that
would come out of the presentation and launch of this programme will
be looked into with a view to implementing them for the betterment of
Bauchi Sate Citizens in particular and the country in general.”