Medical Practitioner requests more funds for family planning

Dr Ejike Oji, Special Adviser on Health and Hospital Management, to FCT Minister on Tuesday called for increased funding to close the existing gap in family planning services.

Oji made the call in an interview with the newsmen in Abuja.

He said that funding family planning would go a long way in securing the well-being and autonomy of women and support the health and development of communities.

Oji stressed the importance of family planning toward increased Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and national development, emphasised the relationship between family planning and poverty.

The medical practitioner who commended President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government for stepping up budgetary allocations for health, called for more funding.

“The most strategic purchasing we can do is funding family planning which will reduce population drive.

“For us to transit to Demographic Dividends, we must reduce fertility rate from the present 5.3 to at least 4.0,” he said.

“Ease of doing business should be done to encourage Small and Medium Enterprises to survive.”

Oji however commended the effort being made by government to reposition the Nigerian health sector.