‘Family Planning, Necessary For Demographic, Socio-Economic Dev’

The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Mrs Caroline Wali, has stated that among other considerations, Family Planning (FP) enhances the development of the individual, family and the society at large.
Mrs Wali, who stated this recently in a briefing as part of events to mark this year’s World Contraception Day, noted that beyond keeping the individual healthy while also checking the number of children in the family, it enables the society plan for its demographic and socio-economic dividends.
“Family Planning”, she said, is a necessary investment towards realising demographic and socio-economic dividends.
“The demographic dividend is tied to the economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population’s age structure, mainly when the share of the working age (15 to 64 years) is larger than the non-working age share if the population (14 and younger, and 64, and above). This is the desirable shift”, she said.
She hinted that when the demographic dividend is identified, necessary developmental plans could easily be made by the society, which will eventually reflect in the socio-economic dividend.
The Permanent Secretary therefore called on men, women and young people to embrace family planning and enrich themselves with information and available services in health facilities spread across the state, noting that it wiould lead to a healthier and more productive life.
Also speaking, the state Family Planning Officer, Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board, Theresa Timothy, identified more key family planning methods.
They are: pills, injectable, implant, IUD, male condom, female condom, exclusive breast feeding method, tubal ligation and vasectomy.
According to her, any of these methods can be used, depending on the individual, but that which of the methods considered best for the individual should be decided by a qualified health care provider.
World Contraception Day is marked on September 26 annually to improve awareness of contraception and enable young people to make informed choices on their sexual and reproductive health.

Sogbeba Dokubo