Dr Ejike Oji, Chairman of the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) in Nigeria, has emphasised that family planning plays a crucial role in preventing stunted growth in children.
He made the statement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
Oji explained that children’s brain development occurs in the first 1,000 days of their life, and a lack of access to essential diets during this critical period can lead to stunted growth.
“Homes without family planning can be in poverty, which is likely to cause a shortage in supply of some food items needed for the child’s brain development,” he said.
He further noted that many children suffer from avoidable anatomical and economic deformities due to the lack of family planning.
Oji stressed that family planning could not only improve the health and well-being of children but also boost the income of both parents.
He highlighted the importance of spacing the births of children, stating that it is key to the economic viability of both families and nations.
He urged families to embrace family planning services, affirming the AAFP’s commitment to advocating for it as a key to economic reforms.
Oji also pointed out that Nigeria’s fertility rate, currently at 4.8, remains very high. “Government’s economic policies will continue to suffer setbacks unless the country’s fertility rate drops,” he warned.
The global standard for fertility rate is 2.5.
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