Medical Expert Harps On Importance Of Family Planning

A medical expert, Mrs Taiwo Omoyisola has charged women on the need for them to embrace family planning method in order to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Omoyisola, who is a Principal Nursing Officer at the Osun State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo said family planning helps couple to efficiently bring up number of children they have already agreed upon to have in the family unit.

Omoyisola said though, there was significant improvement in the number of women embracing the FP method, saying this is as a result of the aggressive campaigns by government and The Challenge Initiative (TCI) as well as other non-profit organisations have embarked upon in recent times.

Speaking with journalists during a field trip on the acceptance of Family Planning in Osun organized by TCN, Omoyisola called for more awareness in the rural communities in the state so as for the dwellers of those Communities to have a better understanding of the importance of FP and the need for them to embrace it.

She said: “Family planning is important because agreeing on how many children a couple would like to have helps the couple efficiently bring up children in a family unit where the children are equally and sufficiently loved without putting a strain on the parents or resources available.

“The number of children is often one of the conversations couples hold during courtship.

“Though, the number of the women coming for the FP is fluctuating, considering the situation of the economy, more women are now flowing into the facilities to take up family planning methods with little effort from the ministry.

“The TCI and some other organizations are trying in Osun State for FP, but the awareness is in the town not in the suburbs or rural areas . In most of these rural communities they don’t have good understanding about FP.

“They should keep up the good works and they need to do more in getting to the rural areas.

“Sincerely, the awareness from the TCI since they came to Osun has made the numbers of people taking the FP to be increasing. They are really trying except for the rural areas which they need to do thorough awareness.

“You will see some of them saying God forbid they do FP. Somebody called me some days ago saying that she heard that anybody that do FP that it will turn into a diseases into their body but I didn’t allow her to finish the talk before I asked her that what has been her experience since she has been doing it , was there anything.

“I have somebody within a space of three years she had three kids, until when she gave birth to the third child that she came to her senses that she needs to take FP. Some will even say you must give birth to all the child in your womb.

She expressed worry about the high rate of quackery in the country, calling on the government and other stakeholders to find lasting solutions to menace.

“Another thing I don’t know if it will be the work of the NGO or FG to do something about quackery in the country, she said.

She, however, urged men to support their wives to take up family planning methods, adding that family planning would not in any way make wives to be promiscuous.

“The orientation that men have is that women become promiscuous after taking up family planning.

“This is not correct and we have been educating our men that the family planning method is not a license for their wives to be promiscuous.

Meanwhile, Kareem Fausat, a 60-year-old mother of six, shared her positive experience, noting that family planning allowed her to focus on her business and her husband without worrying about unplanned pregnancies. She decided to discontinue family planning due to her age after 15 years of use.

Similarly, Temiloluwa Grace, a 27-year-old mother of two, opted for family planning after an unplanned pregnancy. “Family planning has given me peace of mind and helped me plan my family better.

“I encourage young couples to consider it to reduce conflicts and strengthen relationships.