Reproductive Health: FG Plans Policy Harmonisation

The Minister of Health, Babatunde Osotimehin has called for the exploitation of synergies using reliable, and cost effective investments that will be backed up by supportive policies and partnership, to meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of young people.

This call follows the wide gap that exists between policy formulation and implementation in meeting the sexual and reproductive health needs of young people.

Osotimehin who said this in Abuja during the ministerial dissemination/public presentation of the assessment of the national response to adolescent and young people’s sexual and reproductive health in Nigeria, also pointed a synergy between policy formulation and programme implementation at all levels is an imperative for the country, to significantly move toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s).

The Minister also added that the need to specifically address the health and related issues of young people has been globally recognised and that there is a clear consensus that addressing the health and development needs of the adolescents and other young persons would not only befits the young people, but the entire society.

He therefore called for concerted efforts to be made towards building institutional and human capacity that would include strengthening and setting up Adolescent Health and Development Units, stressing that it is necessary to develop multi-year plans for implementing sexuality. Agenda and capacity building efforts that will flow from federal to state and local government levels in a manner that will address sustainable issues.

In addressing the findings from the report holistically, the Minister also called for the Integration of Youth Friendly Service (YFS) at federal and State levels, including primary health care centres, general hospitals and federal medical centres nationwide, while promising that there is a dedicated budget for adolescent health programme at federal, state and local government levels, as stated in the policy.

Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State (1st left) Alhaji Bukola Saraki of Kwara State (2nd right), Chief Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State (middle) and Alhaji Babangida Aliyu, during a governors meeting at Transcorp Hilton Abuja.