Family Planning: Group Decries Non-Release Of Funds, Demands Immediate Release

As the last quarter of the year is rounding up, the Public Health Sustainable Advocacy Initiative (PHSAI), a non-governmental organization, has called on the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, to release allocated fund for family planning in order to close the gap of non-availability of consumables.

Speaking to journalists in Lagos during a media round table, organized by PHSAI in collaboration with Development Communications Network (DEVCOMS), a representative of PHSAI, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, said “monies allocated to family planning for the year 2018 has not been released so far.

“We are appealing to the government of the State to release FP budget allocated in this remaining quarter as this has a direct bearing on FP uptake.”

He said “as this monies were not released, what that means is that, no work was done. As the effect is seen especially at the community level.”

PHSAI, which is also known as the Lagos Advocacy Working Group, LAWG, said, that the objective of the event is to create awareness and advocate for policy makers to prioritize the timely release of FP Budget as this will reduce maternal mortality as well as increase Lagos State Contraceptive Prevalence Rate, CPR, target of 74 percent by 2020.

Amaechi also said that “first, second and third quarter of 2018 health budget for Lagos State Aids Control Agency, LSACA, Primary Health Care Board, PHCB, Community Health Care Board has not been released, as he urged the government to release fourth quarter funds for these Ministries, Department and Agencies, MDAs.

Amaechi acknowledged 41 out 57 LGAs/LCDAs who provided reports on the status of funding for FP consumables for the scorecard recorded and appealed to the 16 LGAs providing FP services but have not yet submitted report for the score card to follow suit.

He thanked world health committees like Pathfinder International, Nigeria Urban and Reproductive Health Initiative, NURHI,Society For Family Health, SFH, that regularly purchase these family planning consumables and supply to some communities has to a large extent cushioned the issue of non-funding for FP.

He stated, “you can imagine what would have happened to women if these world health bodies and some local government that allocates 25,000 20,000, 5,000 naira monthly for family planning were not there, the maternal mortality might go higher than its current 555 per 1000 live birth in the State.”

A family planning expert and a retired nurse, Mrs Adekoya Abiola,, reiterated that if these funds are released for the fourth quarter, it will make family planning more accessible by women in the community as consumables won’t be charged for.

She added that “the government says it is free but when these women go to the health facilities, they can’t access family planning because they are being told to either go home or get these consumables themselves which often times, they can’t afford.”