SFH, Ogun govt train on digital supervision tools for family planning

TOWARDS enhancing access to quality contraceptive services across the state, the Ogun State government, in collaboration with the Society for Family Health (SFH) DISC project, has organized a refresher training for health secretaries and reproductive health coordinators across the 20 local government areas of the state.

The Executive Secretary of the Ogun State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr Elijah Ogunsola, made this known while declaring the training open in Abeokuta.

Dr Ogunsola, represented by the Director of Community and Family Health, Mr Olugbenga Idowu, said  the initiative was aimed at improving access to quality contraceptive services, better supervision using digital tools, and improved commodity forecasting to enhance family planning and reproductive health outcomes for women of reproductive ages in Ogun State.

Dr Ogunsola also emphasised the importance of equipping stakeholders with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively deliver quality family planning services. He said the government had taken a proactive step towards improving reproductive health outcomes and reducing health risks associated with unplanned pregnancies across the state.

Reacting, the State Programme Advisor of the DISC Project Society for Family Health, Mrs. Omotayo Adeyemo, expressed appreciation for the Ogun State Government’s efforts in enhancing access to quality contraceptive services, highlighting the importance of regular capacity building in ensuring that healthcare providers and stakeholders are equipped to support and promote family planning methods like self-injection of DMPA-SC, ultimately contributing to better reproductive health outcomes for women in Ogun State.

Mrs Adeyemo also noted that SFH had been actively promoting family planning methods including self-injection of DMPA-SC (depot medroxyprogesterone acetate), a contraceptive method, as part of its Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) project

According to her, the initiative was designed to empower women to take control of their reproductive health by providing them with the knowledge and skills necessary to self-inject DMPA-SC, a safe and effective contraceptive.

She emphasized that SFH also intended to increase access to family planning methods for women in Nigeria, particularly in areas where healthcare facilities may be limited or understaffed.

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She added that the approach not only empowers women to manage their reproductive health but also alleviates the burden on healthcare facilities, allowing for a more efficient allocation of resources and manpower to other critical healthcare needs.

Speaking on behalf of the participants at the training session, the Health Secretary, Abeokuta South Local Government Area, Dr. Atinuke Duze extended commendations to both entities for facilitating a refresher training aimed at bolstering the capacities of healthcare providers at the local level on emphathy-based training for self injectables, highlighting the significant potential of the training towards enhancing healthcare delivery at the grassroots level, ultimately contributing to improved health outcomes for communities across Ogun State.