Family Planning: Teenage Unwanted Pregnancy Reduces in Akwa Ibom from 73 % To 17.18%

By Enefiok Ndon
UYO
Akwa Ibom has recorded a reduction in teenage pregnancy rate from  73 per cent to 17.8 per cent between 2018 and 2024.
The achievement is made despite the non-implementation of the national guidelines on State Procurement of Family Planning Commodities which was disseminated in 2022.
At the 4th Quarter Family Planning Advocacy Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)  held in Uyo  recently, stakeholders  reechoed the appeal for  the  release of the mandatory  one per cent   of  annual health  budget  as well as  an increase in  funding  to address the  bane of unmet needs in family planning implementation.
They observed that   even with the non- release of   budget, the reduction was achieved with the support of partners  and that more  attainments would have been made  in family planning if funds were made available .  
Dr Obasesam Edet, state programme manager, The Challenge Initiative (TCI), had noted that his organization which is a think-tank on family planning  was  complementing  the effort of the government  by providing  free family planning services in 10 local government areas of the state but  issue of  stock-out was affecting  health facilities , a situation that makes it difficult for women  of reproductive age to access family planning of their choices.
Also commenting, Mr Franklin Chika, state  project coordinator,  MSI Reproductive Choices, which motto is Children by Choice, Not Chance, hinted that the agency was carrying out intervention in 16 local government areas  of the state with a commitment to  help reduce maternal mortality.
The  director, public health services, Ministry of Health,  Dr Etop Antia, in his remark  said that  the ministry recognizes the contributions of all stakeholders  in the  implementation of family planning in the  state, noting that  it was obvious there were unmet needs in terms of commodities and consumables, assuring that bold steps  were taken  to close the gaps for optimum family planning services in the state.     
Represented by Mr Ubong Ekpo, the director task the stakeholders to brainstorm for  better  family planning  outcomes, particularly in  area of advocacy in line with the national guidelines.
Earlier, the state family planning coordinator, Mrs Enobong Eshiet, explained that the state funded procurement guidelines sought among other things, one per cent of the state government annual health budget to be allotted for family planning, upward increase and timely release by policy makers to avoid unmet needs.
She said, already 13 states in the federation have implemented the national guidelines with funds released to meet their targets, Akwa Ibom was yet to implement same.
Continuing, Eshiet stated that whereas, the national guidelines stipulate that women have the right to choose the family planning methods of their choice, only two methods; implanon and condoms   were the only available methods pending when others would be there for uptake.
She also added that choice was necessary in family planning as not every woman    could be suited for a particular method or the   likelihood to change for a particular method in case of side effects or complaints.