1st NATIONAL FAMILY PLANNING CONFERENCE 2010

Sheraton Hotels & Towers, Abuja

Theme

Strengthening Family Planning for National Development

Goal

To improve access to and quality of family planning services in Nigeria

Focus

Critical review of the reasons why significant progress had not been made on the implementation of family planning related policies

Objectives

• To reposition family planning in Nigeria as a tool for National Development.

• To promote a leadership role for relevant government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in a renewed effort to reposition family planning in national development.

• To generate a national discussion about the role of family planning in creating individual, family and community wellbeing, using multimedia channels.

• To highlight the strong link between family planning and the attainment or otherwise, of set MDG targets.

• To engender better coordination of government and non-governmental organizations in ensuring family planning commodity security.

PRE – CONFERENCE SESSIONS

Grantees/Dissemination Meeting: 10 Years of RH Programming in Nigeria.

Organizers: The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Book Launch: Socio-Cultural Aspects of Family Planning and HIV/AIDS in Nigeria by Prof. Lawrence Adeokun.

Book Reviewer – Prof. Uche Isiugo – Abanihe Organizers: UNFPA/LOC

OPENING CEREMONY:KEY PERSONS PRESENT

Senator Iyabo Obasanjo Bello: Chairperson Senate Committee on Health (NASS)

Prof Babatunde Osotimehin: ED, UNFPA New York. Prof Oladapo Ladipo Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu: Hon Minister for Health Hajiya Amina Az-Zubair: OSSAP MDG Dr. Nnenna Ihebuzor: NPHCDA Dr Agathe Lawson: UNFPA – Country Representative Dr Sharon Epstein – USAID -Team Leader for Health & Population

Programme Dr Peter Ereke: WHO Country Representative Alhaji Sani Umar: Representative of the Sultan of Sokoto Chief Sumaila Danko Makama: NPop – Chairman Representative ofPermanent Secretary National Planning Commission

More

• 34 - Director Women Affaires• 6 - Commissioners for Health• 7 – Permanent Secretaries• 17 – Directors of Budget• 23 – Directors PHC• 33 – FP/RH Coordinators• 3 - MDG Plus all of you!!!...Male 206, Female 157

Summary of Presentations

• Plenary -

• Concurrent Sessions – 30

Highlights of the Day

• The presence of the newly appointed Executive Director for UNFPA Prof Babatunde Oshotimehin (former Minister for Health).

• The announcement that the Vatican has approved the use of condom.

• The conference as a stepping stone towards the achievement of MDGs 4 & 5.

• Women bear the burden of the eight MDG goals.• “Whether Muslim or Christian, we have one common problem

of bad leadership” (by the representative of the Sultan).

Highlights from Remarks

Prof O.A Ladipo

• The overall goal of the conference is to increase access to family planning methods.

• Family planning has been in existence from time immemorial.

• Traditional methods of FP are prototypes of modern methods.

• Family planning has been in existence from time immemorial.

• FP has not been a beneficiary of budgetary allocations despite its huge importance.

Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu

• Family planning is crucial to National development but Nigeria is not doing too well with FP.

• With the increase in maternal and child mortality, high morbidity, population increase with limited resources, there is need to increase the quality of FP in Nigeria.

• FP is an integral part of the IMNCH strategy and has been approved in the National Strategic Health Development Plan 2010 – 2015.

• FMOH has resolved to improve their budgetary allocation for FP in the 2011 budget.

• The Federal Ministry of Health is working with the National Population Commission to improve the health component of the country.

Hajiya Amina Az-Zubair(SSAP MDGs)

• Nigeria has unmet FP demands and must show commitment to meeting those demands.

• MDGs 4 & 5 cannot be achieved without adequately addressing FP needs.

• There is need to map out strategies to scale up the participation of FBOs, CBOs and NGOs in the FP programming.

• The communication gap on FP needs to be addressed not just by the media but also by policy makers.

• Conditional Grants given to states and local governments should be scaled up to encourage ownership of FP programming

Dr. Nnenna Ihebuzo (NPHCDA)

NPHCDA is committed to integrating FP into Primary Health Care has a policy to integrate IMNCH and SRH to expand FP services at primary level.

Dr. Agathe Lawson- UNFPA (Multilaterals )

• A.U. leaders made a commitment to making FP a major issue in their national development goals.

• MDG 5 has FP as a key indicator.• If Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan address their

FP issues the world’s maternal mortality rate will be reduced by half.

• Male involvement is crucial to the FP program.• Advocacy through the senate will continue to

ensure that in 2011 and beyond, no health facility in Nigeria will lack FP commodities.

Dr Mairo Mandara (Packard Foundation)

In Nigeria, there is free ANC, immunisation, HIV services and other healthcare services BUT women are charged for FP services (Call to Action).

Sharon Epstein USAID (Bi-laterals -)

• That all bilateral donors consider this conference an extremely important event in years to come.

• Nigeria should not be donor driven country.• Nigeria has the responsibility of providing for

its population.

Representative of the Sultan

• He pledged support to promote government policies and FP awareness at the grass root level.

• Readiness to partner with all agencies to promote FP and RH.

Chairman, National Population Commission, Chief Sumaila Danko Makama.

• Nigeria needs 6.4 billion Naira for FP commodities.• Unmet need for contraceptives estimated at 20% with a

low CPR of 10% (NDHS 2008).• Annual growth rate is 3.2 %.• 42 % of the population is under the age of 15years.• 62 % of birth occurred at home, while 36 % of women

never received ANC.• Nigeria’s Maternal mortality rate is 548 deaths per 100,000

live births (NDHS 2008).• There are 17.5 Million OVC.

Senator Iyabo Obasanjo Bello

• Nigeria’s status as the most populous black nation is not an achievement

• . FP is an issue relating to status of women and also economic development

• Nigeria is one of the worst places on earth to be a woman.• Nigeria doubles its population every 25 years.• No country has achieved an increase in GDP without a decrease in

their fertility.• I am not aware that a budget for RH commodities has ever been

sent to the NASS for approval since my tenour as a senator.• National planning cannot be achieved without planning for

population.

DAY ONE

Current Status of FP in Nigeria

Key Presenters

• Dr Adeniran – FMoH• Prof Uche Isiugo - Abanihe• Mr. John Dugavich (Deputy Chief of Party,

John Snow Inc)• Dr Bannet Ndyanabangi – UNFPA Deputy

Representative)

Key Issues

Promoting knowledge and use of modern contraceptives would not only reduce maternal and child mortality by 25-30% (MDGs 4 and 5), but will also serve as a check for population growth rate, a key indicator to national development.

Key Issues from presentation

• 51% of the population living below $1 per day.• By 2020, China, Indonesia and Nigeria have

high population and also a potential market.• There has been a progressive decrease in

revenue allocation to health sector in Nigeria.

BUT

• The unmet need for FP is at 20% - TOO HIGH• If FP programmes served most women with

unmet needs, the demographic impact would be substantial.

WHY

Commodity security is a challenge! WHAT DO WE DO??? Public sector is chronically under stocked. No product, no programme! Timely forecasting and procurement is necessary

for commodity availability. $1,688,600 million is needed by January 2011 for FP

commodities or else stock out!

If nothing is done (between now and Feb) Nigeria will experience serious stock out.

3Key Ways to Achieving Quality FP Services in Nigeria

• Integrated service delivery • BCC • Expanding partnerships to achieving quality FP

service delivery in Nigeria.

Our Thought Provoking Discourse

Contradictions in Population Policy: revenue Allocation Vs National Development

Background

• Revenue strategic framework is being reviewed every 3-4 years.

• The sources of revenue is being drawn from taxes, oils, etc.

• A particular percentage is being allocated to every sector. This translates to institutions needing the resources.

• “The more you have , the more you get” policy has created a huge problem in our levels of implementation.

• FP is a key indicator to national/population planning.

Key Discussants

• Hajiya Amina Az-Zubair (SSAP MDG)• Dr Otive Igbuzor (ED, African Centre for

Leadership Strategy and Development)

Role of Population in National Planning

• Population is not the problem but its contents.• Populous nation is a big challenge because the

revenue may not be enough.• Government needs to create an enabling

environment for population reduction • Providing essential options to make informed

choices of FP.• FP services should be based on population

strategies to define population.

What is the Role of Policy in implementation/revenue allocation• Population is a politics of number.• HIV incidence gives rise to decreased

population.• Funding gives rise to increased population.• Fair and transparent election of individuals

into government will enhance the government’s involvement in FP service provision.

What can we do?

• Good Leadership matched with Governance • Population management vis a vis available

resources• Operationalize existing policies

Concurrent Sessions

Addressed the following key areas:• Creating and maintaining Enabling

Environment• Generating Demand for FP• Increasing Access for FP • Provision of quality FP information and

services

DAY 3

FP in Various Faiths

Presenters

• Mallam Sani Isa –Imam• Pastor Laide Adenuga – Christian

KEY ISSUES

• No faith is against the concept of FP/Child spacing

• What some are against are the methods employed to do FP (Natural Vs Modern method)

• All the faiths are in support of FP provided it is on health ground.

• None supports contraceptives for unmarried persons

Thought Provoking Discourse

Men taking the lead in FP: Exploring FP Methods

Some Proffered Way Forward

• Urgent need to actively involve men in FP crusade• Although women should take the lead in FP decision

making spousal consultation and discussion is vital.• Intervention programs should include negotiation skills

to enable women to negotiate with their spouses• Natural FP should be an integral part of the national FP

program and providers should have the capacity to offer natural FP

• Early family life heath education should be sited at PHC for mothers with children under 1.

More Way Forward

• Good record keeping. Presently, all forecasts were made from basic records of FP services at various levels.

• If the youths are highly educated and skilled in labour, national development will be improved. There is need to involve Youths actively.

• Invest more in integrated services.

And More

• Create awareness on FP as a cost effective investment in development

• Create a budget line and facilitate timely releases for FP goods and services within the health project.

• Leverage resources from RH/HIV programme to ensure continuous availability of contraceptive commodities.

• Capacity building of health workers.• Inclusion of FP in the free MCH service – NHIS.• Involvement of media on FP issues.

Next Steps

• Each state to engage their traditional and religious leaders

• Strengthen religious/traditional• Targeted sessions for the armed forces• Follow-up the policy statements at all levels• Get commitment statement from their state

officials