In commemoration of this year’s World Population Day, the National Urban Reproductive Health Initiatives (NURHI) has offered free medical care to men and women in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
The non-governmental organisation also provided family planning services and freely gave out some consumables.
The programme, which was in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Association of Reproductive Family Health (ARFH), (National Orientation Agency (NOA), National Population Commission (NPC), and Oyo State Agency for Control of Aids (SACA), was held at Oje Market in the city.
Speaking on the theme of this year’s event: "Family Planning as a Human Right", NURHI Coordinator in Oyo State, Mrs Stella Akinso, said, "family planning is indeed a right for every man and woman in any society. Family planning is an integral part of human right to information and clinical services without being coerced or forced.”
She added: “That is why this outreach is being carried out. However, many people in the rural-urban settings are not well exposed to this awareness; hence we have come to Oje Market to provide information and services to the people to let them know about spousal communication and that anybody of reproductive age has the unfettered right to family planning.
“We are happy about the kind of turnout of men and women we witnessed today. It shows that more and more people are getting aware of the benefits of family planning."
Also speaking at the event, a National Population Commissioner, Eyitayo Oyetunji, who was represented at the programme by Mrs. Priscilla Sawe, said the duties of the NPC is to determine the population of people in the country in order for the government to be able to adequately plan for their welfare.
“Births should be controlled to attain healthy life, quality education, equitable distribution of social amenities and reduction of poverty level in the society,” she said.
The Programme Officer of ARFH, Mrs Segilola, said that the state government was trying in the area of funding of family planning, adding that “their best is not enough. They need to do more in the area of counterpart funding in order to further reduce maternal and infant mortality in our society".
Many of the beneficiaries who spoke with our reporter expressed delight over the health services offered and enlightenment on family planning.
