Health Experts Task Couples, Singles In Plateau State On Taking Family Planning Seriously
The Oasis Reporters
April 14, 2019
From Moses Gbande, Jos
The Heads of Facility at various Primary Health Care Centres in Plateau State affirm that there has been remarkable progress in responses from individuals and family who have braced up with taking family planning methods in the state much more seriously.
As such, governments at all levels have been encouraged to step up supply of family planning commodities to the health centers to enable the health workers serve the people better.
These came to light when our correspondent visited some Primary Healthcare Centres in Bassa local government of Plateau State on an on the spot assessment visit organized by a major family planning expert organization, “Pathfinder International” in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Plateau state as they embarked on advocacy tour of healthcare centres to ascertain facilities provided to family members in Plateau state.
At the Primary Healthcare (PHC) in Jebbu Bassa, in Bassa Local government, the Deputy Head of Facilities, Mrs Felicia Dapan told our Correspondent that they administer the family planning commodities to clients free of charge, saying they create an awareness and interaction with women on family planning methods and this seems acceptable in the locality.
According to her, men visibly shy away from coming to obtain family planning methods but witnessed circumstances where the female counterparts do collect the male condom on behalf of their partners, adding that the influx of clients, stand between 10-15 monthly.
She named some of the commodities used in the clinic to include two months injectable method, three months injectable family planning method, five, and twelve years “Implanon and insert-able” family planning method. Others are monthly pills and condoms for both male and female.
Similarly, the Head of Facilities, at the PHC in Binchi, Master Alli, in Bassa Local Government said they have been counseling women on the need to embark on family planning, saying they have equally guided them on the side effects.
“In our interactions, we told them the importance of family planning and their methods which are free, and also told them of the side effects. We don’t encourage abortion, but we do encourage them to start family planning immediately after delivery.
“On issues of side effects that has dominatew most of the complains made by our clients, ranging from excessive bleeding during the menstrual period, resulting to emaciation of the body, we do advice them that whenever they are having such challenges they should come and change to another method and they are complying”.
