Nigeria Ranks 187 In Healthcare Poverty

Nigeria has been identified as poverty capital of the world after it ranked 187 out of 189 countries in health care.
Making this known recently, during  the virtual 6th Nigeria Family Planning Conference 2020, the Chairman, Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP), Dr. Ejike Oji, said the unemployment rate in the country has skyrocketed from 2 percent in 1960 to 27% in 2020 due to population dynamics.
In his presentation titled, “Population Growth and the Challenges of Human Capital Development”, Dr Orji said the average fertility rate in Nigeria is 5.5 which is higher than the 2.5 of the world, with static contraceptive prevalent rate of 12 percent for almost a decade.
According to him, the unemployment rate in the country has skyrocketed from 2 percent in 1960 to 27 percent in 2020 due to population dynamics.
He continued that the average fertility rate in Nigeria is 5.5 which is higher than the 2.5 of the world, with static contraceptive prevalent rate of 12 percent for almost a decade.
The AAFP boss, who is also the Chairman Board of Trustees, Network of Reproductive Health Journalists Nigeria (NRHJN), said Nigeria presently has the highest infant mortality rate in the world.
“This could be reversed with fertility reduction and massive investment in infrastructure and human capital development in healthcare sector”, he said.
He used the fora to advocate for massive investment in formal and non-formal education as well as policies that will ensure equity, fairness, justice and sense of security in the country.
Speaking on the development, the Chairman of Kano state Interfaith Forum, Hafiz Sani Abdullahi said the group has preached child birth spacing to over one million persons in 2020.
Represented by the Secretary of the forum, Imam Tijjani,  he said 340 religious leaders have been empowered with right information and messages on child birth spacing across the state.
“About 1.2 million people have been reached with CBS messages through Jumaat prayers, tafsir, church and fellowships. Religious leaders have featured in over 20 live radio programmes”, he said.
He, however, attributed low level of basic education as the major setback of embracing contraceptives among people of reproductive age in the state.
Other challenges, he said, include women’s fear of contraceptive side effects and stock out of commodities, especially Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC).

By: Sogbeba Dokubo