Adamawa govt urged to increase funding for family planning program

From Umar Dankano, Yola.

The Adamawa state government has been urged to increase budgetary allocation for execution of the family planning initiatives in the state.

Stakeholders made the call at a one day Media dialogue organized by the Development Communication,(Devcoms) in conjunction with The Challenge Initiative (TCI) in Yola, Thursday, with a view to advancing modern strategies for  strengthening family planning.

In his remarks, the programme manager of TCI, Mr. Godiya Yusuf noted that collaboration with the media, health experts, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other partners became imperative in the drive to educate the people on the importance of family planning in our societies

Yusuf advocated for more sensitization and awareness campaigns with a view to bridging the gap on the efficacy of the family planning for social and economic growth of the state and country at large.

He appreciated the roles being played by the state family planning media advocacy group confirming that there has been an increase in the uptake of family planning acceptors and modern contraceptive from 2022 with a records of acceptors at 47,980 while users of modern contraceptives stood at 19,024 respectively.

He added that as of the second quota of 2025 specifically in June there was 104,486 new acceptors representing 40% of the initiative while users of modern contraceptives stood at 79,764 representing 78% of the program.

Delivering her submission on the impact of the family planning program in the state,, the state Focal person for the family planning, Aisha Garba Abubakar, stated that the child birth spacing is very important in reducing maternal and child fertility.

Abubakar charged the media to do more in the addressing the myths and misconception surrounding the family planning usually cause by religious and cultural considerations in our societies saying that “pregnancy is planned by choice not by chance” therefore needs to be safeguarded .

She also stressed that insufficient funding is among the major challenge militating against the family planning program in the state highlighting that N130 million have been released for the program in 2025,  but lamenting that it is not enough for commodities and consumables for the initiative in the state.

She also called on the government to provide more funds for the program especially with the growing population rate in the state and country at large.

Earlier in his speech, the commissioner of health and human development, chief Felix Tangwami represented by his permanent secretary, Pharmacist Zirra Babani, applauded the collaboration with the partners indicating that, the family planning awareness drive by the media is addressing the myths challenge bedeviling the process already.

He assured that necessary support will be accorded to the stakeholders in achieving the desired goals announcing that the annual operational plan (AOP) has been approved for the exercise.