7,395 Women Receive Contraceptive Injections To Prevent Pregnancies – C’River Govt

7,395 Women Receive Contraceptive Injections To Prevent Pregnancies – C’River Govt

Published on May 16, 2024

By Noah Abdulsalam

At least 7,395 young women in Cross River State have received self-injectable birth control methods to prevent unwanted pregnancies, according to official figures…..read also Most Nigerian Men Feel-Insecure Around Successful Women, Nollywood Actress Dorcas Shola Fapson Speaks-Out (Details)

Mrs. Lucy Bassey Enakirerhi, Director of the Family Planning Program at the state Ministry of Health, confirmed these numbers during an event in Calabar organized with the Society for Family Health and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. The event marked the conclusion of a two-year Empathetic Counseling for Self-Injection project.

Enakirerhi noted that these figures cover January to April 2024 and that the project has been widely accepted by women. She added that more than half of the women preferred self-injection, while others received injections at primary healthcare centers. Over the two years, the project achieved a 66% success rate due to enthusiastic participation.

She explained that one dose of the injectable contraceptive lasts for six months. Beneficiaries, including Mrs. Eunice Effiom and Patricia Etekamba from Akpabuyo LGA, testified to the effectiveness and convenience of the contraceptives.

Dr. Seun Adeleke, a senior advisor at the Society for Family Health, emphasized the project’s goal of empowering women to take control of their reproductive health through self-care methods. He noted that acceptance of self-injection grew from 21% at the project’s inception to 66% later on.

Representing the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Ayuk, the Director of Public Health, Dr. Jonah Offor, highlighted that contraceptives are provided free of charge at primary healthcare facilities. He assured that the government will expand the project beyond the initial five LGAs to many others.