A call has gone to the Kwara State Government to increase funding for family planning to reduce maternal mortality rates to the barest minimum.
The Chairman, Awareness Initiative for Goof Living (AIGL) Alhaji Jimoh Ajibola Wahab made the call in Ilorin on Tuesday (January 14, 2020) when the group paid a courtesy visit on the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Raji Razaq in his office.
Ajibola explained that the group was working on family planning in the state through the pathfinder international with the aim of making family planning services free of charge in the state.
He appreciated the kind gesture of the present administration over the release of the sum of N1 million for family planning in the year 2019.
Ajibola said that government needed to put in its best towards releasing more fund for family planning for the benefit of Kwarans.
The chairman called on traditional rulers and religious leaders in the state to include family planning in their sermons to achieve the set goals.
In his remark, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Raji Razaq expressed the readiness of present administration to partner with relevant agencies in making healthcare delivery accessible and affordable to all in kwara.
He said Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq led administration placed a top paramount on healthcare delivery of its citizenry.
According to him, the present administration was very determined to fund all aspect of health sector so as to meet the needs of the people.
According to him “it is of my knowledge that the present administration has approved N232 million as counterpart fund to reduce maternal and child mortality rates in the state.
He said that the visit of the organization was very timely as the ministry was currently defending its budget.
The Commissioner assured the group that their request would be looked into to reduce maternal mortality rate through family planning.
He described family planning/child spacing as a panacea to reduce unwanted pregnancy and mortality rate in the state.
