NGOs train journalists on family planning ‘to correct maternal health misconceptions’

The Development Communication Network (DEVCOMS), with support from The Challenge Initiative (TCI), has trained journalists on family planning to improve maternal health care in Nigeria.

The two-day capacity-building training, which was held in Lagos earlier in August, had media practitioners from different news outlets across the state in attendance.

According to the organisers, the workshop was designed to boost efforts to increase family planning awareness across the state and equip journalists with strategies to educate citizens on the importance of timing and spacing child births.

The organisers said the media professionals will also be sensitised on the TCI Family Planning Intensification Phase plan to increase media visibility on family planning reportage.

During the training, Ashiru Sariyu, chairman of interfaith public health advocacy in Lagos state, addressed the myths and misconceptions around family planning, adding that there is an urgent need for journalists to deploy their voices to correct these false claims.

“Spousal approval and cultural disapproval are among the many other challenges family planning is faced with. We need the media as much as you need us so that you can enlighten people in rural communities,” Sariyu said.

“There is no doubt that the myths or misconceptions on FP/CBS have been persistent for decades with minimal success. To reverse the myths and misconceptions, there is a need for different stakeholders to collaborate with great involvement of the media to remove the misconceptions on FP/CBS in Nigeria.”

The training also included a field trip evaluation of FP services at Akerele Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Surulere, Lagos state.

Ajoke Daramola, the officer-in-charge of FP services at the PHC, said family planning is not just for married couples but also for young adults who are not married but sexually active.

“Most women now ask to take the methods immediately after having their children at our facility. They are now informed, and we do our best to attend to them at no cost. We have youths come for it. We ensure that every method given to anyone aligns with their body type,” Daramola said.

“Most times, people forget they are subscribed to a family planning method and start trying to have kids, only to tell people the methods have caused infertility.”

Akin Jimoh, DEVCOMS’ programme director, said families need to explore family planning services as there are a lot of benefits to them.