Health Care experts have opined that access to contraceptive methods advance several human rights including the right to life, liberty, freedom of opinion and expression and the right to work and education, as well as bringing significant health and other benefits.
It was further revealed to Africa Update that contraceptive methods “prevent pregnancy-related health risks for women, especially for adolescent girls, and when births are separated by less than two years, the infant mortality rate is 45% higher than it is when births are 2-3 years apart and 60% higher than it is when births are four or more years apart. It offers a range of potential non-health benefits that encompass expanded education opportunities and empowerment for women, and sustainable population growth and economic development for countries,” the experts stressed.
To celebrate this year’s World Contraception Day on September 26, the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board, RSPHCMB, organised a week long activity with the theme: Breaking Myths.
Dr Joy Tonye Wihioka, acting Director of Community Health Services while addressing newsmen, mentioned that the day was set aside to commemorate a vision where every pregnancy is wanted and to spread the awareness on the use of contraceptives to help people make informed choices on their sexual and reproductive health.
In her speech, she said “Since our establishment in 2011, the RSPHCMB has stayed true to its mandate to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate all Primary Health Care programs and activities in Rivers State and embark on high impact interventions such as Reproductive Health/Family Planning to improve health outcomes for women and girls in the State.
“As we celebrate this year’s World Contraception Day with the theme: Breaking Myths, we join the global movement in celebrating every significant progress made in improving the health of women and girls by allowing them to decide and space their pregnancies.
“Among the many benefits of family planning are that it allows women to establish healthy birth-spacing practices whilst their bodies heal in between births. It allows women an increased participation in the economic workforce which in turn enables women invest in themselves and their families.
“All women of child bearing age and couples who need Family Planning services are advised to visit any Primary Health Centre, request and access routine family planning counseling and contraceptive services that are free for all.
“Family Planning with the use of contraceptives enables a woman choose when to get pregnant and allows her to either space or limit her pregnancies which in turn helps avert approximately 44% of maternal deaths around the world by reducing the number of high-risk and unwanted pregnancies among citizens, preventing unsafe abortions which is a leading cause of death among females,” she said.
