The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has underscored the critical role that access to family planning information and services plays in curbing the mortality rate during childbirth in Nigeria.
Family planning enables individuals to determine their choice of having children and the resources, techniques, and knowledge required to achieve it.
According to Esther Somefun, UNFPA’s gender/reproductive health analyst, studies indicate that approximately 3.5 million pregnancies could be avoided, and more than 31,000 women in Nigeria could be saved from dying, if all women had the ability to plan their families and access modern family planning methods.
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These findings were highlighted at the recent Family Planning Hackathon in Lagos, organised by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, UNFPA, and the Microsoft Engineering Team.
Somefun stressed that health economists estimate that investing around $603 million in family planning could significantly reduce maternal deaths.
Speaking at the event, she emphasised the transformative impact that technology and innovation could have in reducing maternal mortality. Somefun stated, “We are gathered to explore domestically developed technological invasions that we are sure would facilitate access, increase demand and uptake of family planning in Nigeria.”
One of the participating groups, called Repo-create Team, focused on the alarming rate of unsafe abortions in Nigeria and its devastating impact on the mortality rate among young women.
The team shared the tragic story of Bisi, a young woman who died from complications after attempting to terminate her pregnancy through unsafe means. Such stories are unfortunately common in Nigeria, which currently has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally.
The Repo-create Tea, along with other teams present, introduced their individual proposals which aims to address family planning challenges and increase the prevalence of contraceptive use in Africa. The idea is to provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education to the public, and in turn allows users to access family planning services from the comfort of their homes, including anonymously.
By offering accurate information and countering misconceptions, these teams strive to empower individuals to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.
This feature aims to bridge the digital divide and ensure equal access to family planning resources.
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The UNFPA and various organisations attending the hackathon expressed support for such initiatives that combine technology and innovation to increase access to family planning. Rhoda Robinson, the Executive Director of Hacey Health Initiative, emphasised the importance of sustainable solutions to meet Nigeria’s family planning targets and address societal challenges.
By leveraging technology and developing solutions relevant to local contexts, Nigeria hopes to reduce its high maternal mortality rate and increase universal health coverage. The goal is to empower women and men with accurate information and easy access to family planning services.
With collaboration from existing organisations and widespread implementation, these interventions could positively impact the lives of thousands of individuals and contribute to achieving the family planning sustainable development goals outlined by the United Nations.
