The Ogun State Government, in collaboration with the Society for Family Health (SFH), Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) project, has organised a-day training for Health Secretaries and Reproductive Health Coordinators across the 20 Local Government Areas of the State.
Executive Secretary, State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola, while declaring the training open in Abeokuta, said the training was aimed at strengthening the capacity of stakeholders for optimal performance.
Dr. Ogunsola, represented by the Director of Community and Family Health, Mr. Olugbenga Idowu, noted that the training was important to improve access to quality contraceptive services, better supervision, with the use of digital tools and improved commodity forecasting, to enhance family planning and reproductive health outcomes for women of reproductive ages in the State.
He emphasised the importance of equipping stakeholders with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively deliver quality family planning services, saying government had taken proactive step towards improving reproductive health outcomes and reducing health risks associated with unplanned pregnancies in the State.
Reacting, State Programme Advisor of the DISC Project, Society for Family Health, Mrs. Omotayo Adeyemo, expressed appreciation to the State Government for enhancing access to quality contraceptive services, highlighting the importance of regular capacity building in ensuring that healthcare providers and stakeholders were equipped to promote family planning methods like self-injection of DMPA-SC.
Mrs. Adeyemo noted that SFH had been actively promoting family planning methods including self-injection of DMPA-SC (depotmedroxy progesterone acetate), a contraceptive method, as part of its (DISC) project, adding that the initiative was designed to empower women to take control of their reproductive health.
She revealed that SFH also intended to increase access to family planning methods for women in Nigeria, particularly in areas where healthcare facilities may be limited, understaffed, saying the approach would not only empower women to manage their reproductive health but also alleviates the burden on healthcare facilities, allowing for a more efficient allocation of resources and manpower to other critical healthcare needs.
Reacting, Health Secretary, Abeokuta South Local Government, Dr. Atinuke Duze, commended both entities for facilitating the training, aimed at strengthening the capacities of healthcare providers at the Local level on empathy-based training for self-injectable, highlighting the significant potential of the training towards enhancing healthcare delivery at the grassroots level.
