Economy Leading Men To Bring Wives For Family Planning – Officials

The current economic hardship ravaging the country has increased the number of people seeking family planning in Osun State, OSUN DEFENDER gathered. 

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Findings by the medium revealed that there is an upsurge in the percentage of housewives going to various health facilities across the state to take up family planning methods.

Also, more men are keying into family planning than before, as the medium noted that some husbands have recently been accompanying their spouses for the exercise. 

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, the Osun State Family Planning Coordinator, Ololade Abatan, attributed the surge in demand for family planning in the state to the current economic realities.

 Abatan said: “In the last year, considering the situation of the economy, more women are flowing to the facilities to take up family planning methods.

“We need less effort to push them now than before due to the situation in the country. The orientation that some men have about women becoming promiscuous after taking up the method needs to be worked on. 

“Our men need to support our women in taking up a method. Women are not meant to be promiscuous because of family planning methods.”

On the importance of family planning, Abatan said the availability of different methods was to ensure peace, understanding, and collaboration between husband and wife.

She also dismissed the impression that once a woman takes up family planning methods, she may become promiscuous.

Abatan noted’ “So, it does not mean that once a woman takes up family planning method, you have given her the license to go out and be promiscuous. We are talking about the peace and effective management of the home. 

“We are appealing to men to endeavour to support their wives in taking up family planning.”

Speaking with the medium during a visit to Oke Baale Primary Health Centre, Osogbo, a service provider who is also the Chief Nursing Officer and Reproductive Health Coordinator for Osogbo Local Government, Suliyat Omolaja, said more men were coming with their wives to take up family planning. 

The visit was part of a 3-day training on Media Advocacy for Family Planning in Osun State, supported by The Challenge Initiative.

Omolaja said that besides housewives who were coming for family planning, more unmarried women have also been coming to seek her services. 

She said: “In the last year, the rate of single ladies and married women accepting family planning methods here has increased.

“Some men are coming with their spouses for family planning, and we have been encouraging more men to inculcate such practices. 

“Family planning is very important, and this is what our mobilisers have been telling both men and women whenever they go out for outreach.”