WORLD CONTRACEPTIVE DAY

To improve the reproductive life of women by avoiding or delaying pregnancy, various methods of Contraception and family planning have been available in Primary health facilities managed by the RSPHCMB in Rivers State.

Family planning is said to be the vaccine to prevent Maternal mortality and has reduced it currently by 15~30 percent globally. In Rivers State, 331 facilities are currently offering family planning services.

This year the State flagged off World Contraceptive day with the theme The Power of Options at the Emerald Hotel on 26th September 2023.

The Honorable commissioner for health Dr Adaeze Oreh was present at the event, and representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health, the Director Community Health Rivers State Primary health care management board, WHO State Coordinator, representative of Marie Stopes International{MSI} , Society for family Health, DKT international and CHAI were all present.

The commissioner in her remark commended the convener for the event, she stressed the need for women to make informed choices about their health and well being, thereby advancing global efforts to promote longevity through behaviour change.

She made a strong commitment on behalf of the State to make necessary efforts to close the identified 80 percent gap in availability of commodities for family planning as was indicated by various presenters during the occasion.

She also emphasized the Options of right/correct information, need for trained manpower/human resources, and making commodities available so that families will and can take advantage of this vital human right to health and take both individual and collective responsibility for their reproductive health.

She received and unveiled the donations of the Intra uterine devices(IUDs) from DKT international to the State for use, and employed all hands to be on deck for a successful scale up of family planning services in the State.