Reproductive health and family planning experts have charged sexually active adolescents to take up family planning to avoid untimely death, unwanted pregnancies, abortion and sexually transmitted diseases.
Speaking with the media team on reproductive health in Asaba, Delta state over the weekend, the experts said such illicit affairs often resulted in giving birth to children not cared for.
They said the call become necessary to curb the increasing rate of abortion, and pregnancy related deaths among young and unmarried adolescents in the society.
The experts noted that prevention is better than cure, particularly when the young adults had been sexually exposed and it would do the society no good to pretend about this.
Chief Nursing Officer, Family Planning Programme, Mrs. Gullian Ogude, is moving well in Akwuebulu Primary Healthcare Center (PHC) as an average of 10 persons took up the programme in one month.
She confirmed that the center had all the consumables for the programme, adding that requisitions were made to fill any noticed shortfalls in stock almost immediately from the state government.
“We have not really seen the youth coming to take up the programme, except for the married and those within the child bearing stage utilising the programme.
“For the adolescents, since they are sexually active, my advice for them is that this facility is here for their use, and the commodity is always available and they are free.
“The youth should come out, speak out , we know how to counsel them, so that issues of unwanted pregnancies, contracting STDs and death through abortion can be avoided.
“At this stage, because they are sexually active, it is counseling that they need because they are already exposed,” Ogude said.
Chief Nursing Officer, Okwe PHC, Mrs. Mary-Ann Okwuechimeh, said the responses received showed that people had become more aware of the programme.
“People are now more aware of family planning in the area. Before now, we beg them to come, but now, they come on their own and I believe this is because the economy is changing and as such, many people do not wish to increase their family size,” Okwuechimeh said.
