Gabi Precious, a registered nurse and family planning provider at Tanke Primary Health Care Centre in Ilorin South, has revealed that approximately 80 percent of women in the vicinity are now embracing family planning.
Precious, who stated this in an interview with our correspondent, on a field trip to the facility on Wednesday attributed this trend to the ongoing economic challenges, noting that women are increasingly recognising the importance of family planning on a daily basis.
The trip was facilitated by The Challenge Initiative (TCI) and DevCom.
Precious emphasised the significant benefits of child spacing and highlighted the immense advantages it brings to women’s health during childbirth.
She observed a notable increase in the adoption of family planning in their facility in recent times, indicating a growing awareness among women due to the prevailing economic conditions.
“We are witnessing a substantial improvement in our Family Planning services, with an impressive 80 percent turnout of clients. Wednesdays are particularly busy, with a surge of 10 to 20 clients seeking preventive measures on immunization days,”she noted.
“We offer both long-term and short-term contraceptive methods, excluding permanent options. The injectables require visits every two to three months, while the implant lasts three to five years before removal, depending on the client’s preference. Long-term methods have become more popular as many women are opting to limit the number of children they have.”
She advised women to prioritise their health and that of their families when considering childbirth to avoid potential health complications.
Afusat Ghali, a retired ad-hoc midwife, mentioned that fewer women are opting for oral contraceptives, with a growing preference for long-lasting methods like injectables or implants over short-term solutions.
“Once they choose an injectable or implant, they tend to stick with it rather than having to visit the facility monthly or take daily tablets.”
“Many clients with two or three children are now opting to limit their family size due to the economic challenges, leading them to reconsider the ideal number of children to have.”
“We no longer exert pressure on women to pursue family planning, and some husbands even accompany their wives to the clinic for these services. After conducting tests, we provide counseling and recommend a suitable method based on their individual needs.”
Bashira Ismahil, a client at the facility seeking contraception, said, “although I hadn’t considered it before, I’ve decided to start family planning now that I have four children, which is sufficient for me and my husband. I recently had a five-year implant inserted, and I plan to renew it when it expires.”
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