Marie Stopes International Organisation Nigeria (MSION), and the Taraba State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (TSPHCDA), collaborated with Hope Afresh Foundation to reach underserved communities in Taraba State with life-saving family planning information and services.
Barr. Anna Darius Ishaku wife of the State Governor and Chief Executive Officer of Hope Afresh Foundation on Wednesday, July 22 at Garin Makeri, Bali LGA; flagged-off a one-week family planning awareness creation and service provision intervention reaching several communities in Bali and Gasol Local Government Areas.
The Governor's wife represented by her Special Adviser on Administration Mrs. Nungerimam Dashe said the programme is organised to empower communities to make an informed choice.
Barr. Ishaku thanked Marie Stopes Nigeria for its excellent work of providing services to rural communities, ensuring that rural and underserved populations are not left out of sexual and reproductive health services. She urged stakeholders, traditional leaders, and individuals to make the most of these services by promoting and supporting the uptake of family planning services in their communities.
The Executive Secretary Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Aminu Hassan Jauro represented by the Director Community Health Service, Chindo Usman Zakari extolled the benefits of child spacing in building a healthy family. He encouraged women to take up services while urging spouses to support them.
Speaking on behalf of Marie Stopes Nigeria, Ibrahim Yusuf, State Behaviour Change Communication and Marketing Lead reaffirmed the importance of family planning. He explained that children are precious gifts and should be wanted and planned for. He reiterated Marie Stapes’ commitment to providing quality family planning and reproductive health information and services to empower women and couples to have children by choice and not by chance.
Mr. Yusuf thanked the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, the Governor’s wife, and Hope Afresh Foundation for partnering with MSION on the intervention.
Alhaji Maigandi Manu Kaigama, the traditional ruler of Garba Chede Chiefdom, who supported one of his wives to take up a service appreciated the Governor's wife, Marie Stopes Nigeria, and the Primary Health Care Development Agency for bringing family planning information and services to his people. He pledged support to ensure the success of the intervention in his community.
The event was attended by the State FP Coordinator, representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Bali LGA, the Health Educator, Bali LGA, the traditional ruler of Garba Chede Chiefdom.
