Our emphasis on universal health coverage is to ensure Nigeria achieves SDGs — FG

The Federal Government says its introduction of the self-care intervention is crucial to achieve universal health coverage and to ensure that Nigeria achieves the Sustainable Development Goals of 3 and 5 regarding women and children survival, come 2030.

Director, Reproductive Health Unit, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Kayode Afolabi, who disclosed this during an advocacy visit on self-care interventions, including DMPA-SC self-injection, to Oyo State Ministry of Health said the self-care intervention’s main focus is reducing Nigeria’s unacceptable maternal mortality rate put at 576 per 100, 000 live births.

Dr Afolabi, accompanied by country coordinator, John Snow Inc, Dr Adebola Adefalu; director of programmes, Association for Reproductive Health (ARFH), Mrs Kehinde Osinowo and representatives of Pathfinder International, Miss Hauwa Usman said if Nigeria must achieve these SDG goals, the maternal mortality rate needs to be reduced by at least 90 per cent.

According to him, “we have a huge work to do as a country, so all strategies that can be deployed, all support and enabling environment that can be created to ensure that we provide access to health care delivery and ensure uptake of services, should be employed.”

Dr Afolabi said given an enabling environment, self-care interventions, whose guideline currently focuses on sexual and reproductive health, maternal health as well as newborn health, will increase choices and reduce the barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services.

The advocacy to Oyo State, he said, was to ensure that the state provides an enabling and supportive environment for self-care interventions, including DMPA-SC self-injection.

According to him “self-care is not new, it has been on for ages, however, it has not been regulated as it is today. The approach will enhance universal health coverage to ensure that each individual from the family level to the community will be more aware of their health and be able to take action to maintain good health.”

Oyo State Health Commissioner, Dr Bashir Bello, in his response, assured the self-care interventions support and environment to thrive given that health is a priority of the government and it is aimed at helping to further reduce the state’s maternal and infant mortality rates.

Meanwhile, Dr Bello also launching the revised family planning blueprint and cost implementation plan for 2020 to 2024 for South west zone, at the orientation meeting for state family health stakeholders said it would ensure that family planning uptake is increased and ensured every one is responsible for his or her health.

He declared that the introduced DMPA-SC self-injection has improved access and created opportunities for women to take control of their health.

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