According to the Society for Family Health (SFH), Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DMPASC), a self-administered contraceptive, has had a positive impact on Family Planning options in Nigeria. Advocates for family health believe that the introduction of DMPASC has increased modern family planning choices and also strengthened the government’s initiatives to decrease maternal mortality rates in the nation. Omokhudu Idogho, the managing director of SFH, pointed out that the practice of self-care in family planning has significantly advanced in Nigeria. The introduction of DMPASC has played a key role in reducing unwanted pregnancies, making family planning more accessible, and simplifying decision-making processes related to it.
He highlighted the achievements of the Delivering Innovations in Self-Care (DISC 1.0) project during its presentation in Abuja. The project’s success was evident as it kickstarted in Lagos, Oyo, and Niger states in 2020, and by August 2022, it had expanded to 15 states due to its positive effects. The partnership between the federal government, SFH, and various other organizations has begun to enhance the healthcare system of the country, even in local communities. It has been observed that global reports indicate stagnant progress in lowering maternal mortality rates in annual reports.
Several modern family planning options are available for women.
Preventing unintended pregnancies has long been known to help in the reduction of maternal mortality rates. The rise of self-care has given women the ability to manage their sexual and reproductive health independently, easing the workload of Healthcare Providers and improving the healthcare system within communities. Today in Nigeria, women have access to a variety of modern family planning options, such as self-injection of DMPASC, which enables them and their partners to make informed decisions about family size.
The collaboration between the Society for Family Health and Population Services International under DISC 1.0 project is aimed at promoting family health. For the past 4 years, the project funded by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) has demonstrated the untapped potential and effectiveness of Nigeria’s primary healthcare system, the skilled healthcare workers, and especially the ability of Nigerian women to manage their sexual and reproductive health while also making significant contributions to the Economy and improving overall well-being.
Women are empowered in managing their reproductive health.
Idogho expressed contentment with the positive results of the new family planning solution, attributing the success to the project’s holistic approach that focused on not just creating demand but also delivering services and strengthening the health system. He believes that by utilizing digital tools and Social Media to promote awareness campaigns, along with implementing new methods such as empathy-based counselling, the project has successfully empowered women in managing their sexual and reproductive health.
Primary focus of the initiative is to make self-injectable contraception more widely used among women and ensure that those who opt for this method receive consistent access and assistance. In addition, he mentioned that the program has successfully trained a significant number of healthcare professionals and family planning providers, allowing them to carry out interventions within communities through more than 1,000 health facilities in the 15 states where the project is active. The significant and immediate effects of self-injection markets have garnered widespread recognition on a national level, increasing the national self-injection impact from 13% to 40% according to the NHMIS report in 2024, he noted.
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Anyanwu Lawrence, Director of Reproductive Health at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, commended the self-injection initiative’s progress in the country on behalf of the Federal Government and looked forward to the upcoming second phase. The successful implementation of the program demonstrates the potential for national achievements when collaboration is embraced, as evidenced in the inaugural phase. We must empower women of childbearing age to prioritize their own health and wellness. The government is fully committed to promoting self-care for women, empowering them to take control of their well-being, he declared.
