Scaling Success: How High-Impact Practices Can Transform Family Planning in Nigeria

NFPC 2024

Dec 4

By Onyinye Oranezi, Nigeria Health Watch

During the plenary session on "High Impact Practices: Scaling Up What Works to Achieve Nigeria’s Family Planning Goals" at the NFPC 2024, Dr. Salma Anas Ibrahim, Special Adviser to the President on Health, provided a compelling summary of the discussions, emphasising the potential for transformative progress in family planning if key strategies are implemented effectively.

Building Confidence in Nigeria’s Progress
Drawing from examples of Ethiopia and Malawi, Dr. Salma underscored the importance of maintaining confidence in Nigeria's ability to reach its family planning targets. "If it worked for them, it will work for us," she stated, referencing these countries’ success stories in expanding family planning coverage. She set an ambitious goal: moving Nigeria’s contraceptive prevalence rate from the current 15% to 40% within three years, which would be nothing short of remarkable.

Accountability and Leadership
The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) is positioned to lead this transformative effort, with a focus on scaling up high-impact practices such as postpartum family planning and family planning interventions for post-abortion care. Dr. Salma highlighted the need for policies, strategies, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be coordinated at all levels, with accountability playing a critical role in achieving measurable progress.

Evidence-Driven Implementation
Another panelist, Dr. Sam, reiterated the importance of evidence-based decision-making in family planning. He highlighted that Nigeria has already signed the FP2030 compact, a commitment to expanding access to family planning services. However, implementation may vary across regions, and identifying gaps in current efforts will be crucial to scaling high-impact practices effectively.

Solutions for Scaling Up
The discussions centred around scaling up proven family planning interventions, especially those that have already seen measurable success. For example, programs that have integrated family planning into maternal and child health services in certain regions have demonstrated significant improvements in uptake. By leveraging these successes and addressing implementation gaps, Nigeria can achieve its ambitious family planning goals.

As the session concluded, the panel left participants with a crucial question: How can we ensure that these high-impact practices are scaled up across all regions, taking into account the diverse needs and challenges faced by different communities? The answer lies in coordinated efforts, accountability, and the unwavering belief that Nigeria can achieve transformative change in family planning.