Group To Demystify Information On Reproductive Health

Amidst limited and often times misinterpreted information on reproductive health, especially family planning, The Challenge Initiative (TCI), Nigeria says it seeks to demystify such information.
Making this known in a recent exclusive interview, the Director of TCI, Nigeria Hub, Dr Victor Imuwahen Igharo, said one of the key visions of the organisation is to make relevant information about reproductive health and family planning available.
Dr Igharo, who stated this during a 2-day workshop organised by TCI, Nigeria for the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists (NRHJ) in Nigeria, explained that this vision can best be achieved through the NRHJ, which was the reason for the workshop.
According to him, 50 per cent of young people get information about Reproductive Health from the wrong source, leading to widespread misinformation resulting in wrong decisions in their reproduction lives.
“Our data shows that 50 per cent of young people get information (about reproductive health) from their peers.
“A lot of the time, this information may not be correct. So, what he wants to do is to ensure that the right information is out there.
“People can actually make informed decisions about their lives based on the right information they get”, he said.
Earlier, Igharo had explained that TCI’s partnership with the NRHJ is basically to amplify issues of FP, particularly reproductive health in general.
While acknowledging that there is already existing information on FP and reproductive health in the public domain, he stated that information from a well-informed media, which the NRHJ represents, will go a long way in putting things in their right perspectives.
TCI commenced its work in Nigeria in September 2016, but started full scale implementation in January 2017.
It is currently operational in 10 states and working in about 72 local government areas.
TCI aims to encourage states to own-up reproductive health programmes by first building their capacities to be able to sustain the programmes and also create adequate awareness.

Sogbeba Dokubo