Development Communication Network DEVCOMS has urged the media to focus more on issues related to maternal mortality, unsafe abortion, unplanned pregnancies, lack of access to family planning, and childbirth spacing.
The Program Director, Mr. Akin Jimoh, gave this advice during a virtual presentation at a review meeting with the Jigawa State Family Planning Media Focal Group, held at the Manpower Development Institute, Dutse, the Jigawa State capital.
He further emphasized the need to develop feasible solutions to challenges in family planning and childbirth spacing, stressing the importance of political awareness on the issue.
Mr Akin Jimoh called for collective efforts of stakeholders to beat the challenges associated with Family Planning.
Jimoh, gave a highlight of states performance in producing stories around family planning in relation to International Women’s Day, where Jigawa was rated zero.
According to him, the project is focused on the needless deaths of women in Nigeria, saying that its a situation that needs policy reform.
In his remarks at the meeting, the Mr Ankale Kogunde, also advocated for more media engagement on Family Planning in Jigawa state.
He stressed that the main pressing issue concerning Family Planning in Jigawa state is commodity procurement, saying that the media needs to put more effort in advocating for commodity availability.
According to him, The last time the state procured commodities was in 2022, saying that there was budget allocation for the commodity in 2023 and 2024, yet they were never purchased.
He thus reminded the team about the goal of TCI, which he said was about Implementation, Efficiency, Sustainability and Self reliance.
“We have worked in 12 states during the second phase of our project and the project was conducted in learning circle of three stages.
“Jigawa state is now on the third stage and is on verge of graduating in June 2025.”
He therefore, called on the state to ensure sustainability of the project when TCI finally exits, although domestication of procurement of Family Planning commodity is in the pipeline
Speaking on behalf of the Journalists working in Jigawa, the project’s focal person, Alhaji Muhammad Zangina Kura, made a presentation on the journey embarked by the team since the inception of the project.
He admitted despite their efforts, there are still lingering challenges as identified by the team, which are associated with commodity procurement.
Zangina further appealed for more support from DEVCOMS and TCI, on order to commit more to the cause.
Radio Nigeria reports that, TCI Nigeria, promotes sustainability and local ownership, while demonstrate feasibility of long term investment in reproductive health.
It supports Nigeria in scaling up positive changes in reproductive health, implemented through the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) since 2009.
DEVCOMS is a media-development, not-for-profit organization and a product of various development projects focused on media, health promotion, advocacy, and capacity building within Nigeria and the African media landscape.
COV/USMAN MZ
