Anambra community calls for Govt Attention to improve family planning

By Covenant Oluchi Ikedinobi

Neni, a community in Anaocha Local Government Area, Anambra State has urged the state government to intervene in the challenges of their health center to deliver adequate health care services to the people of the community.

The community said that poor facility, poor staffing, shortage of equipment and drug had been a reoccurring challenge to their health facility, established to cater for the health needs of the community members.

They made their plights known during a media tour to the community by a group of Media professionals, who took awareness of Family Planning to the Community Referral Reproductive Health Centre of the community.

The awareness was geared towards educating families on the need to access family planning in the health facilities in the State.

During the assessment, the Senior Community Health Essential Worker (CHS) Mrs. Nneka Oha validated the massive improvement at which people access family planning in the health center.

She described the turn up as a result of massive advocacy being carried out in the community, as confirmed that over two hundred and fifty two persons had accessed the family planning services within the space of January to April, this year.

“We did some advocacy, create awareness to mothers telling them we have family planning services. We leave them to choose their choice of method”.

Citing negative role of religion in family planning, Mrs Oha expressed how some women who came for the services were often discouraged by their fellow denominational members. Relating to the fact that it’s against their believe as natural method which constitute the use of calendar and pill is the most preferable.

Describing the challenges that befalls them, Mrs. Nneka heaped the blame on the lack of man power. ” We don’t have enough man power in the system. I am the only government staff that is working here, others are voluntary. I employed almost six of them, and I paid them because I can not work alone”.

She further lamented on the yearly intrusion of flood in the environment. She disclosed that she had singlehandedly financed the palliative works on the flood menace to make the environment a bit accessible and conducive for the people, calling on the state government to rescue the health center from the incessant floodings.

The reproductive health officer, Mrs clementina Aniefo decried high cost of drugs imposed on them by the government and their near expiry dates.

She disclosed that the situation had pushed clients to resort to open market for cheaper drugs as they can’t afford the price stipulated by the health center. This, she said, have led to the diminishing of the health center.

Mrs. Clementina further decried wrong distribution of drugs to the health center, stating the fact that government don’t give them the required and often demanded drugs which had resulted in decadence in sales.

The ward development chairman, who is the Vice President of Neni town union Hon. John Darlington Uzozue, expressed that the death of late Chief Anthony Enukeme affects the health center.

” Chief Anthony Obiagbaoso Enukeme (Tonimas) had been the only person taking care of the health center, but since his demise, no one has done anything about it”.

Hon. John who was admitted at the health center stated the impatient attitude of some clients who demand immediate attention when there are people on ground to attend to first.

He further appealed to the government to supply the health center with demanded drugs and not required ones. He also assured the health center that the newly elected councillor of the community will also look into the situation of the health center adequately.

Members of the community were advised to take family planning serious as it helps curtail unwanted child bearing, abortion, unnecessary expenses. They were also assured that the adoption of family planning is a guarantee to a good and lasting livelihood.