From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The Federal Government is spending 35 million dollars every year for the procurement of Family Planning consumables.
The amount is outside what is spent on other commodities for Family Planning.
Director, Family Planning under the Family Health Department of the Federal Ministry of Health, Lawrence Anyanmuzi disclosed in Asaba, Delta State.
Anyanmuzi was speaking at a High Level Advocacy meeting on the national guidelines for self-care for sexual reproductive and maternal health.
He said federal government developed the guidelines in 2020 following the outbreak of COVID-19 to ensure reduction of preventable  diseases, particularly those associated with reproductive health and family planning.
According to him, the government alone could not afford the huge financial burden of providing commodities to cope with the demands for consumables in the family health and family planning.
“It will cost the federal government about 35 million dollars to procure consumables to support family planning in a year.
“Withdrawal of international donor agencies support has negative impact on the programme, hence, we are  seeking states, local governments and donor partners to buy- in to meet the demand,” he said.
According to Anyanmuzi, the target of the programme is to move national Family Planning Modern Contraceptives Prevalence Rate (MCPR) from the current 12 percent to 27 percent in 2030.
Launching the guidelines, Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Ononye, explained that “self-care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health and cope with illnesses and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.
“The national guidelines on self-care interventions will provide direction on the integration of these self-care interventions for sexual reproductive and maternal health into the Nigerian health system.
“It should be implemented in an enabling environment in line with World Health Organisation’s consolidated guidelines.”
Ononye said provision of health services and commodities in Delta has steadily improved over the past few years, though not without hitches.
“We are still saddled with an unbearable burden of low contraceptive use and high Maternal Mortality Rates (MMR).
“This is coupled with issues such as low levels of health literacy, poor sanitation, poor access to Health care facilities and in some cases lifesaving interventions as well as inadequate attention to key social determinants of health.
“Therefore these guidelines are a welcome development and we hope will bridge the gap between the health care service delivery points and marginalized communities,” he said.