Israel Umoh
The essence of the one-day Akwa Ibom State Media Roundtable on Family Planning for selected media professionals in the Nigeria’s 21st Akwa Ibom was not a misplaced one.
Organised by The Challenge Initiative/Devcoms Group on Family Planning, the roundtable brought to the fore critical issues that promote and inhibit the spread of family planning messages and practices among the women from the urban to the rural setting of the state.
At the forum, critical key stakeholders and speakers took time off to dominate family planning discourse with data, the need for sustainable investment, myths and misconceptions, challenges and proffered solutions for mass media to devise new strategies to making family planning a toast to every man and woman across the diverse cultural, social and religious divides.
In Akwa Ibom, the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) is tentatively pegged at 19.8 per cent against the Federal Ministry of Health’s target of 30 per cent by 2030. This shows the need to improve family planning services, indeed, create the needed awareness to douse fears and misconceptions against the project.
Five position papers were presented by different speakers at the media roundtable held at Breakfort Hotel and Suites, House of Assembly Road, Uyo on Monday, March 24.
In the tone setting, the Media Focal person of TCI, Mrs Grace Usen welcomed the speakers and media professionals to the roundtable.
Usen who commended the critical stakeholders and the media for keeping faith with the group on family planning called for increased funding from the government and other partners.
The first paper on the title: Family Planning Outlook for Akwa Ibom State (Data from NDHIS and NHMIS) was presented by Ekomobong Oton of the Research Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Support Lead (RM&E TSL).
Oton outlined the modern contraceptives, expressing concern over the rise of traditional contraceptives peaked at 2.6 per cent from January to December 2024 in the state.
According to her, ‘‘There is an increased demand in the use of contraceptives by women. The use of traditional contraceptives in Akwa Ibom has increased among women.’’
Another paper entitled: Increasing demand for family planning through bursting myths and misconceptions: The role of the media was presented by the Chairman, Social Behavioural Core Communication Technical Works Group (SBCC TWG), Mrs Lovina Victor Ibiok.
Ibiok pointed out that family planning in Nigeria is shrouded by myths and misconceptions often leading to fear, distrust, and avoidance of family planning services hence Low contraceptive use and rapid population growth.
She identified the myths and misconceptions about Family Planning to include infertility, severe health complications like cancer, womb damage, deformed babies, promotion of promiscuity. Others are contradicting religious and cultural values, only for multi-parous women, misattribution and the fact that family planning is solely a woman’s responsibility.
According to her, the Impacts of myths and misconceptions result in low uptake of family planning services, Nigeria’s contraceptive prevalence remains below 50 per cent, increased rate of abortion and other dangerous practices, high maternal and new born mortality, projected population of 400m by 2050 and strain on healthcare, education and the economy.
The health worker acknowledged that ‘‘The media plays a powerful role in shaping public opinion, a vital tool in dismantling harmful myths and misconceptions and a tool for increasing demand for family planning.
Mrs Ibiok reminded the media of the need to provide accurate information, address concerns about side effects, safety and effectiveness, fact-check and counter messaging to debunk myths and misconceptions, create compelling and accessible contents and showcase positive stories of families who have benefitted from family planning.
The media Strategies are ‘‘educational mass media campaigns (radio, TV, social media), influencer/celebrity advocacy, interactive platform engagement, radio spots and jingles adapted to local dialects, television dramas and documentaries and campaigns to encourage men to be involved in the family planning.
Though given 15 minutes, the Advocacy Core Group (ACG) Chairman, Dr. Mandu Ekpenyong did justice to the topic: Sustainable investment in Family Planning through funds release for procurement of commodities and consumables by government.
Mandu listed sponsors of family planning to include World Health Organisation (WHO), Federal, State and Local Governments, schools and philanthropic organisations, among others, regretting that despite budgeting, Akwa Ibom government does not release funds for family planning.
On challenges facing family planning in the state, Ekpenyong mentioned inability to access key stakeholders, lack of support for advocacy groups, and lack of political will.
Dr. Mandu Ekpenyong at the roundtable discourse
Speaking on the benefits, she posited that the programme helps in strengthening health sector, fulfilling international and national commitments, enhancing social stability, and poverty reduction in the society.
Dr. Ekpenyong, therefore, called on the state government to maximally invest in family planning through the release of funds for supply of commodities and consumables.
On the paper: Strengthening demand generation for improved service uptake: The role of the media, Priscilla Omang, the Demand Generation Technical Support Lead (DG TSL) listed limited awareness and knowledge, socio-cultural demand barriers such as traditional norms and myths and misconceptions as problems besetting family planning in the state.
Mrs Omang, therefore, called on the mass media to create more awareness through such engaging contents as television drama, hashtags for social media and phone-in programme for radio listeners.
The state Family Planning Coordinator, Mrs Enobong E. Eshiet presenting a paper entitled: Reducing maternal mortality through PPFP/PAFP explained that PPFP – “Post Partum family planning” refers to the initiation and use of family planning services within the first 12 months following childbirth, aiming to prevent unintended pregnancies and ensure appropriate spacing of pregnancies.
‘‘It’s a crucial of Maternal and Child Health and High Impact Practice in family planning that promotes safe motherhood.
PAFP – “Post Abortion family planning” refers to offering counselling and contraception to women immediately after abortion to prevent unintended pregnancies and promote healthier reproductive outcomes. This is because fertility returns surprisingly quickly after an abortion, even within a few weeks, by this a repeat of abortion which can have a significant health consequence whether medical or surgical is avoided.’’
On the timing of PPFP, Mrs Eshiet said within the first 48hrs after birth, Immediate Postpartum Family Planning, could be inserted by the Midwife or gynaecologist during Caesarian section.
‘‘Early Postpartum FP – From 48hrs up to 6 weeks after delivery. This needs a specialized trained provider for a successful placement because involution is taking place. During this timing progestin only pills and implants can be provided as well, to avoid interference with breast milk production. Extended Postpartum FP – From 6 weeks up to one year,’’ she stated.
She listed ensuring that women have right to make informed decision about their reproductive health, reducing maternal and infant mortality, improving maternal and child health outcomes, contributing to the family’s well-being, promoting appropriate childbirth spacing, ensuring access to a variety of contraceptives and reducing repeated abortions which could have a negative impact on the woman’s health.
On PPFP/PAFP reducing MMR for PAFP, the state Coordinator assured ‘‘Fertility returns almost immediately within few days after abortion and there’s a tendency for pregnancy to occur after 2 weeks of an abortion. PAFP will help prevent repeated abortions which can be detrimental to a woman’s reproductive history putting her at risk of poor reproductive history, high risk/unplanned pregnancy. The Post Abortion Care (PAC) which could be medical or surgical is not complete without PAFP.
For PPFP, Mrs Eshiet explained that ‘‘immediate or Extended Postpartum FP can help reduce MMR in most women that fertility returns almost immediately less than 2 months after delivery. Too close or too frequent pregnancies leads to health risk/complications during Antenatal periods and management during labor/delivery to both mother and fetus. With PPFP, such mothers can go through their post-natal period without fear of getting pregnant.
Speaking on challenges of PPFP services in Akwa Ibom, she mentioned insufficient trained immediate postpartum family planning providers, ready to use immediate PPFP IUCD unavailable, insertion kit for i-PPFP not available and insufficient health workers to train due to staff attrition.
Eventually, she opined Capacity Building of Post Partum Family Planning, provision of Insertion Kits, orientation of Midwives on PPFP especially those in labour ward/Post Natal Clinic and procurement of immediate PPFP IUCD.
The fruitful but rewarding roundtable went into interactive session and the stakeholders and participants lauded the organizers for a job well done. More ideas on how to move the programme forward were mooted and, of course, the need to spread tentacles to reach more persons and government officials who will lit the candle of the group indeed spread the family planning message to remove the myths and misconceptions clogging the programme for greater success by all in Akwa Ibom and beyond.
