Stakeholders in Kwara State have pledged their commitment to promoting women’s access to reproductive health in order to improve health outcomes in the state.
Speaking at a sensitisation event organised by the Society for Family Health (SFH) in collaboration with the Kwara State Ministry of Health, to commemorate the 2025 International Women’s Day at Ajikobi Cottage Hospital, Ilorin West Local Government Area, the stakeholders—comprising representatives of the State Ministry of Health, traditional and religious leaders, members of Ward Development Committees (WDCs), Community-Based Organisations (CBOs), representatives of women’s support groups, persons with disabilities, the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), and women of reproductive age—emphasised the importance of reproductive health services, including family planning, child spacing, and self-care practices.
In his speech, the Babaloja of Ilorin West, Alhaji Sarafadeen Agboola, highlighted the importance of promoting healthy behaviours, preventing diseases, and managing minor ailments among women.
Alhaji Agboola noted that the programme would help enlighten women on managing their reproductive health, particularly through self-care practices introduced by the DISC 2.0 project. He further stated that the orientation on reproductive health at the event would significantly educate women and mothers on accessing child spacing, essential self-care products, including contraceptives and menstrual health products, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Also speaking, the Kwara State Health Promotion Officer, Jibril Abdulkareem, expressed appreciation to the Society for Family Health for organising the awareness programme to celebrate International Women’s Day.
Abdulkareem noted that the DISC 2.0 project aligns with the state’s Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) goals, adding that the programme would strengthen the healthcare system across the state’s 16 local government areas.
In their separate remarks, the Iyaloja of Ilorin West, Babakobi Funmilayo Bilikis, and the Female Youth Leader, Faruq Ajoke Sabitiyu, stated that the awareness programme would empower women to take advantage of educational and economic opportunities, thereby improving their future and that of their children.
The Kwara State Programme Advisor for the Society for Family Health (SFH) DISC 2.0 project, Tolani Fagbohun, emphasised the benefits of equipping women with accurate information regarding their reproductive health and the importance of making informed contraceptive choices in reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among families and communities.
Fagbohun explained that this informed the choice of the year’s theme, “Accelerating Access to Reproductive Health”, which is derived from the general theme, “Accelerate Action”.
She added that the proper utilisation of available reproductive health services by women would lead to improved health outcomes in the state, calling on traditional and religious leaders to support the DISC 2.0 project by ensuring grassroots sensitisation and informing households about the benefits of child spacing.
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