Alhaji Sani Umar-jabbi, the District Head of Gagi in Sokoto South Local Government Area of Sokoto State, has urged authorities and statekolders to promote medical test among intending spouses.
Umar-jabbi made the call at a one-day media roundtable on Family Planning organised by Devcoms, in collaboration with The Challenge Initiative in Sokoto on Friday.
He called on the State and National Assemblies to enact a law that would mandate intending couples to undergo HIV, sickle cell, genotype and relevant medical tests before marriage.
He said that the measure would help to prevent the spread of various sexually transmitted diseases and ensure a healthy population.
”This can only be achieved when stakeholders and civil society organisations lead the advocacy to members of legislature across the nation.
”Evidence-based advocacy is the engine that drives progress on family planning and make the partnership goals possibly achievable.
“Therefore, civil society groups have a central role to play in actualising the process.
”Enacting the law will help in reducing the spread of diseases among people in our society,” Umar-jabbi said.
According to him, stakeholders and members of communities are the pillars that will help civil society organisations to work toward advocating for the law that would make tests mandatory for intending couples.
He further urged traditional rulers and community groups to push for more understanding on family planning, it’s importance, acceptance and access to available instruments and consumables in the health facilities.
He called for collective efforts and partnership among religious and traditional leaders to advance advocacy by facilitating a stronger and more coordinated approach for effective services delivery.
In a remark, the Executive Secretary, Sokoto State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Larai Tambuwal, commended Devcom/TCI for organising the interactive session.
Tambuwal, represented by Dr Tukur Magaji, said the roundtable would go a long way in advancing more awareness on the benefits of family planning among various communities in the state.
She described the media as key partners in disseminating relevant information on family planning activities at all levels.
She also said that the State Government had invested so much in healthcare, particularly in the area of family planning, to ensure acceptance, availability of consumables and adherence to the procedures among citizens.
In a presentation, the State Manager Devcom/TCI, Dr Bello Kilgori, dwelt on preliminary findings of 2023/2024 National Demographic and Health Survey successes, challenges and the way forward.
Kilgore led discussions on different areas in the findings and offered solutions to some critical areas that need alignment, especially on family planning.
Also speaking, the State Media Coordinator Devcom/TCI, Alhaji Musa Ubandawaki, said the major objectives of the meeting was to present and discuss the organisation’s media engagement in support of state family planning programme.
Ubandawaki said the meeting was also for the presentation of the preliminary results of the 2023/2024 NDHS findings.
He said that the meeting was to support State Government to achieve a greater reliance and scale up family planning, AYSRH-impact interventions leading to sustained improvement in urban health system and increased use of modern strategies.
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