By Solomon A.
Cross River, Nigeria, September 22, 2023, The Cross River Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), convened a one-day stakeholder meeting aimed at disseminating the National Guidelines on State-funded Procurement of Family Planning (FP) Commodities. The event, held on September 22, 2023, at Dannic Hotel Ekorinim 2 Calabar, brought together a diverse group of stakeholders with the common goal of improving family planning services and accessibility within Cross River State.
The meeting’s primary objective was to introduce and disseminate established procurement criteria for family planning commodities to various relevant ministries and civil society organizations (CSOs) operating within the state. These guidelines were formulated with the overarching goal of standardizing, documenting, and institutionalizing processes related to forecasting, quantification, procurement, warehousing, inventory management, distribution, pipeline monitoring, service delivery, and utilization of FP commodities across Nigeria.
Key attendees at the event included Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, the honorable commissioner for health of Cross River State, and Mrs. Eyoanwan Bassey, the wife of the state governor, who represented the highest echelons of the state government. Additionally, representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, UNFPA, Marie Stopes International, the Society for Family Health, the African Girls Empowerment Network, the Girls Power Initiative, the Cross River State Ministry of Women Affairs, Humanitarian and Social Justice, among other relevant ministries, and the state’s CSOs were present.
The stakeholders in attendance expressed their optimism that the newly introduced guidelines for state-funded procurement of family planning commodities would address some of the persistent barriers to access and uptake of these vital resources in Cross River State.
One notable participant, the African Girls Empowerment Network, a prominent young women and girls’ rights civil society organization, voiced its hope for transformative change resulting from the implementation of these guidelines. The organization pointed out that Nigeria currently grapples with 2.5 million cases of unwanted pregnancies annually. They emphasized the urgent need for these guidelines to increase access and uptake of modern contraception and family planning services, a campaign they aptly tagged as #BelleByChoice. This initiative aims to reduce the incidence of unwanted pregnancies, particularly among women and adolescent girls, including those living in vulnerable and displaced settings within Cross River State.
As Cross River State continues to prioritize family planning and reproductive health, this stakeholder meeting signifies a significant step towards achieving improved access, reduced unintended pregnancies and enhanced reproductive health services for its residents. The collaborative efforts of the government, UNFPA, and various stakeholders have the potential to bring about transformative change in the lives of women and families across the state.
