By Sunny A. Ijomah
No fewer than 500 women of reproductive age, access family planning annually at St. Monica Healthcare Centre, Fegge, Onitsha South Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State.
“No fewer than 40 women usually respond to the family planning programmes at the healthcare facility on a monthly basis.
“The number comprises women, who adopt fresh family planning practices and those that review their various methods.”
Officer-In-Charge of the Healthcare Centre, Mrs. Vivian Obidi said this while speaking with newsmen at the facility.
Mrs. Obidi noted that the response of the women to family planning was as a result of Community Oriented Resource Persons (CORPS) initiative, which the health workers adopted to reach out to women in the area.
She added that through CORPS, the healthcare givers go from street to street to create awareness on family planning and the various methods to ensure that every woman of child bearing age would be well informed on birth control.
Mrs. Obidi said that the health workers through CORPS normally go ahead to administer family planning at the door steps of the homes and business places of those that responded positively.
She explained that the CORPS initiative had gone a long way to also educate men on the streets on benefits of family planning.
She, however, urged the media to help to educate not only women but men on the advantages of family planning so that there would be full access to the process in the State.
According to her, high access to family planning will help to reposition Nigeria’s economy as well as create healthy living among the citizens. Mrs. Obidi commended the State Government for the basic infrastructure provided at the healthcare facility which she said enhanced their practice on the job.