COVID-19 Lockdown: Family Planning Centers Record Low Patronage - THE LIVING GUIDE

COVID-19 Lockdown: Family Planning Centers Record Low Patronage

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Lockdown put in place to flatten the coronavirus curve by government in Ogun State has drastically reduced the patronage in family planning, a situation which some stakeholders called for urgent step to encourage ways out of the challenges.


The Federal government in order to flatten the coronavirus curve ordered lockdown in Ogun, Lagos and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

With the action many women and mothers who were supposed to patronise the service were unable to do so due to lack of transportation.

When  Our Correspondent visited some Family planning clinics in the State, it was revealed that the development might lead to population surge in the State.

According to some health workers, with the high rate of fertility in Nigeria and the low prevalence of the adoption of contraceptives by Nigerians, Nigeria should expect a significant increase in the population, especially now that many parts of the country is on lockdown.


Speaking to Our Correspondent, a health worker, Mrs  Funmilayo Ogunrinde of Adigbe Primary Health Center, Obafemi Owode local government area of Ogun State lamented the low turnout of females procuring various family planning methods, saying the effect may affect the welfare of Nigerian family if the situation persist.

Mrs Ogunrinde who specifically mentioned the effect to be population explosion, increase in poverty level and serious complications in child bearing,  said the lockdown and inability to do family planning may bring about unwanted pregnancies.

She disclosed that only five clients visited her centre last week for family planning services.

"The number of patients that come to the centre since the lockdown began has reduced drastically. But we attend to patients everyday."


She added, "Most of the clients that come to centre for family planning are fresh applicants."

Also speaking, Mrs. Florence Idowu, Chief Nursing Officer at  Family Health Centre, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta South Local government area of the State, agreed with Ogunrinde stand, saying the low turnout of family planning clients in assessing the center is due to lack of transportation.

She said, "Our major challenge is how to get people here. For those that are stranded, most of the time, I use my vehicle to convey them from their various destinations down to the centre.


"The number of clients coming to the centre to procure family planning methods has significantly reduced since the implementation of the lockdown order. Only few clients that have the means of transportation come."


Idowu said, although, family planning services are free of charge and there are enough commodities available at the centre, the lockdown had prevented people from coming to the center.

Sharing her experience of using family planning with our correspondent, Mrs. Abiola Adebowale said she had never recorded side effect with family planning, adding that method she adopted had never failed her.

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