Though the availability of Family Planning (FP) commodities is a key deliverable to achieving Nigeria’s FP target of 27% MCPR by 2030, the target might not be realised unless Nigeria meets up with her commitment by the end of August 2024.
The assertion was made by the UNFPA Programme Associate, Adegbotolu Oladipo, while giving an overview of the National Basket Fund and the state-based financing tracker at a 3-day technical workshop on the development of the Bauchi state-based financing tracker for family planning services organised by the Bauchi State Ministry of Health, State Primary Health Care Development Board, with support from UNFPA, held in Jos Plateau State.
He said for four years now, Nigeria has not disbursed funds for the procurement of FP commodities in the National Basketball Fund, despite making a commitment of 4 million US dollars in yearly contribution.
According to him, “In 2022-2023, Nigeria did not benefit from the UNFPA supply partnership matching fund of approximately 1.5 million US dollars a year and is on the verge of missing the 2024 match fund of 2 million dollars.”.
He added that, “Also for 2024, Nigeria did not receive from the second tranche of commodities worth 6 million dollars from the UNFPA partnership of 347.709 million dollars.”
Adegbotolu Oladipo added that “there is a potential of losing the third tranche approval if the commitment is not fully filled by the end of August 2024.”
The UNFPA Programme Associate went further to state that in 2024 the total commitment to FP is put at 40.755.218.40 million dollars, out of which UNFPA made a commitment of 8.7 million dollars and has so far allotted 10.1 million US dollars.
He also stated that “the funding gap for 2024 stands at 24 million dollars, and this accounts for the stockout of family planning commodities.”
The impact of the funding gap he noted is estimated to lead to over 800.000 unintended pregnancies, 10.280 maternal deaths, and some 340 unsafe abortions.
The programme associate urged the Bauchi State government to make provisions for funds for the procurement of FP commodities.
According to him, “States like Lagos, Ogun, Delta, and if recent Adamawa and Rivers have made contributions for the procurement of commodities for their states.”
He stated that the average cost of FP commodities per woman stands at 3.2 dollars, noting that the return on each dollar is 69.3 dollars.
State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Adamu Sambo, represented by Director, Medical Services, Dr. Suleiman Abubakar, said that the financing tracker will help the government monitor FP funds.
Executive Chairman, State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, pointed out the need for health-related MDAs to unbundle their sources of funding.
Before leaving Jos, the state developed a state-based financing tracker and mapped out strategies for the dissemination of the tracker.
ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then