- Agency Report
The Society For Family Health (SFH), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) says Kwara recorded 85 per cent uptake of self-injection as a family planning method.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that self-injection specifically with Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Subcutaneous (DMPA-SC), is administered by the individual user.
The method involves women who wish to space their children, injecting contraceptives at home after undergoing training by healthcare workers.
Mallam Umar Adamu, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of SFH, made the observation in Ilorin while speaking at the Stakeholders Coordination Meeting on Family Planning.
He explained that the uptake in the use of DMPA-SC is due to its convenience and ability to provide discreet contraception.
According to him, the self-injectables are administered every three months, while the injection provides contraception by preventing ovulation and thickening cervical mucus.
He noted that SFH has been collaborating with the Kwara government on achieving improved sexual and reproductive health and rights outcomes through the Delivering Innovation In Self-care (DISC) 2.0 project.
Adamu explained that the SFH continues to ensure healthy pregnancies, safe deliveries, child spacing, and emergency interventions for women at risk in Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Kwara State Family Planning Coordinator, Hajia Bashirat Jatao, added that the state government will continue to enhance the quality of sexual and reproductive health services in the state.
She emphasised that reproductive health services would be delivered through best practices across the 16 local government areas of the state.
Jatao added that the state would take ownership and sustainability of the DISC 2.0 project by integrating key activities into the health system. NAN