The Kaduna State Government has procured reproductive health/child spacing commodities and consumables worth N97.9 million for distribution to service delivery points.
The Family Health Advocates in Nigeria Initiative (FHANI) made this known in a statement signed by its secretary, Iliya Kure, saying the gesture of the state government would increase access to child spacing services by women of reproductive age.
Kure stated, “Women in Kaduna State spend an average of N500 to access child spacing services. As such, financial constraint has kept a large number of them from going to health facilities to access the services. The state has however set the pace for the entire country as a demonstration of political will aimed at ensuring couples space their births to enhance the health of both the baby and mother.
“Studies have shown that child spacing alone can help a nation reduce its maternal deaths burden by more than 30%. With North-West’s high maternal death ratio of 1,024 per 100,000 live births (NDHS 2013), Kaduna has shown leadership in reduction of these deaths in the geo-political zone.”
Also, the Secretary of Child Spacing Media Forum (CSMF), Sola Ojo, said the intervention by the state government was exemplary as Kaduna was the first state in the country to earmark and release cash for the procurement of child spacing commodities.
