TCI SEEKS STRONGER FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES IN ANAMBRA

By Stanley Nwako

The Challenge Initiative (TCI), has called for stronger investment and collaboration to improve family planning and reproductive health services in Anambra State.

TCI Regional Manager, Dr Obasesam Etowa, made the call during a presentation to the Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, at an inception meeting.

Dr Etowa said TCI’s new strategy would focus on sustaining contraceptive uptake, addressing commodity stockouts, strengthening financing and integrating family planning into maternal, newborn and child health programmes.

He noted that although Anambra’s modern contraceptive prevalence rate increased from 11.7 per cent in 2013 to 22 per cent in 2024, unmet need for family planning rose to 15 per cent.

He also identified inadequate funding, frequent contraceptive stockouts, shortage of trained providers and weak coordination as some of the challenges affecting family planning services in the state.

Responding, Dr Obidike welcomed the TCI team and commended the organisation for its support to the state’s health sector.

Dr Obidike said the presentation provided useful insights into the progress recorded and the gaps that still require attention, assuring that the state government would continue to work with relevant partners to improve healthcare services for women and families.

The commissioner stressed the need to strengthen postpartum family planning counselling, improve the availability of family planning commodities and build the capacity of healthcare workers to provide quality services.

He assured TCI of the Ministry’s readiness to strengthen collaboration in line with the state’s health priorities.