Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing family planning, with stakeholders pledging approximately $4 million and making key commitments to achieve universal access to family planning services by 2030, at the 8th Nigeria Family Planning Conference (NFPC) held in Abuja.
The conference, which brought together over 1,297 onsite participants and approximately 4,000 online attendees from various organisations, women-focused groups, and international partners, highlighted the need for collaborative efforts to sustain commitments for family planning within the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.
A communique signed by the Chairman, Association for the Advancement of Family Planning of Nigeria and the Local Organizing Committee of the conference, Dr Ejike Orji, disclosed that the conference resulted in pledges and commitments of approximately $4 million from the organized private sector for the next six years.
This, he said, significant financial commitment is expected to play a crucial role in advancing family planning services in Nigeria.
“The conference also recorded a landmark attendance, comprising local, sub-national, national, international, youth, and people with disabilities.
“This diverse participation ensured that a wide range of perspectives and experiences were brought to the table, enriching the discussions and outcomes.”
“Furthermore, the National Assembly committed to advocating for allocations to family planning and sub-national budgets. This commitment is a significant step towards ensuring that family planning receives the necessary financial support to achieve its goals.”
“The conference identified major challenges to inclusive family planning data in Nigeria, including irregular census, poor implementation and awareness of vital registration systems, and inadequate funding for research.”
“The Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) has called on governments, NGOs, youth-led organizations, women-led organizations, and civil society to implement the conference recommendations by 2027 to achieve equitable and sustainable family planning services.”
“The AAFP has expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, UNFPA, BMGF, FP2030, CIFF, and development partners, for their support and contributions to the conference’s success.”
READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
