Kaduna state has recorded steady progression in all methods of contraceptive prevalence rates (CPR) from 2016, a representative of Centre for Research, Evaluation and Development (CRERD), Dr. Elizabeth Omoluabi, has said.
Elizabeth said the progression included all methods of CPR; mCPR and LARC with a minimum of one percentage point increase, adding that use of modern method has increased from 16.1% to 18.1%.
Addressing a media parley organised by Pathfinder International in Kaduna on family planning, Performance Monitoring and Accountability (PMA 2020), she said data were collected between April and May 2018 in 2,268 households and 136 Service Delivery Points (SDP) in 66 enumerated areas in Kaduna state.
“Total unmet need for family planning which had dropped in 2017 is now on the rise. Overall total demand satisfied by modern method has dropped by 5 percentage points to the level of 2016. But the encouraging news is that contraceptives are now reaching rural areas, while the gap between them and urban residents is reducing rapidly.
“Women in rural areas also choose to use Family Planning a year earlier than urban women at their third child,” Dr Elizabeth said. “Family planning is the best investment in human capital, because it does not only ensure the woman control her child spacing but ensure that the woman is in good health condition.”
She stated that the survey, which was conducted by the Centre for Research, Evaluation and Development (CRERD) and Bayero University Kano, aimed at monitoring key indicators for family planning.
However Pathfinder International Communication and Media Officer, Somto Atuanya has urged the media to overcome barriers in policy formulation and implementation through reportage in order to promote supportive environment for family planning.
She said the media should influence government, donors and implementing partners to adopt or improve programmes.