Osun Govt Lauds TCI’s Impact On Family Planning Acceptability, Reduction In Adolescent Pregnancy
The Osun State Government has lauded a Non-Governmental Organisation, The Challenge Initiative, over its impact on the acceptance of Family Planning in the state.
The state government said TCI has helped in reducing the rate of adolescent pregnancy and improved the contraceptive prevalence rate from 29 percent in 2018 to 35 percent in 2023.
Speaking at a media roundtable review meeting on Thursday in Osogbo, the state Family Planning Coordinator, Mrs. Ololade Abatan, said The Challenge Initiative has, over the past three years, supported the state government in the area of training service providers, demand generation, and provision of logistic support.
Abatan said the impact of TCI cannot be quantified considering the challenges of accepting Family Planning before the coming of the organisation.
She said, “The Challenge Initiative has been with us in the state for over three years, and the support we’ve received from the organisation is huge. In the area of training service providers, demand generation, awareness, and provision of logistic support during the conduct of in-reaches and outreaches services, the organisation has done tremendously well.
“All these things put together have really helped us to improve Family Planning in the state, and with this, we’ve been able to see the increase in the contraceptive prevalence rate in Osun State from 29 percent in NDHS 2018 to 35 percent in 2023.
“That’s huge to us considering all the factors that prevent people from accepting Family Planning, despite these challenges, we’ve been able to move against the odds and achieve the increase with the support of TCI.
“Sincerely, we appreciate The Challenge Initiative for their support and we still seek more support moving forward. The state has a plan of continuity, which is about sustainability.
“The state government is working tirelessly towards improving the health status of the citizens. However, we cannot do it alone. We will continue to collaborate and seek the support of our implementing partners, most especially in the area of reaching the hard-to-reach areas.”
Corroborating Abatan, the Desk Officer, Adolescent and Youth Reproductive Health, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Roseline Akinlabi, said TCI helped in training health workers on the provision of adolescent-friendly services, which has gone a long way in reducing adolescent pregnancy in the state.
“In reducing the rate of adolescent pregnancy in Osun State, TCI has helped us in various ways. Firstly, they trained health workers on the provision of adolescent-friendly services, which gives them the confidence to provide quality services and make our facilities safe places for clients”, she noted.
The state’s Health Promotion Officer at the Primary Health Care Board, Mrs Taiwo Adeniji while providing insight into some of the successes recorded by TCI in the state, said the organisation has played a pivotal role in improving Family Planning access in rural areas.
Adeniji who was represented by Mrs Funmilayo Adebayo, said TCI has contributed to the increase in the uptake of Family Planning by people in the rural area through community engagement and awareness campaigns.
She said, “TCI has played a pivotal role in improving Family Planning access and utilisation in Osun State, particularly in rural areas.
“TCI has helped to address many of the barriers to Family Planning, resulting in increased uptake of services and better reproductive health outcomes.”
Kazeem Badmus is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience. A professional in journalism and media writing, Kazeem prioritses accuracy and factual reportage of issues. He is also a dexterous finder of the truth with conscious delivery of unbiased and development oriented stories.
