Bauchi Community Uses Recreation Centres to Advocate for Family Planning Services
By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
Some communities in Bauchi State are leveraging on the existence of recreation centres to advocate for the use of Child Birth Spacing services (CBS) at their health facilities.
This strategy was revealed by the Ward Development Committee (WDC) chairman of Tirwum community Mallam Yusuf Adamu recently when some members of Bauchi Public Health Media Network (BPHMN) visited Tirwum community to assess the level of CBS services uptake among couples in the community.
Adamu said the committee in it’s wisdom has identified such places and have been conducting series of sensitization meetings with footballers and their fans to promote Child Birth Spacing (CBS) in various football pitches and viewing centers located within the community.
He said the committee initiated such meetings to also harp on Adolescents, Young and Youths Reproductive Health.
“The football pitches, viewing centers and other recreation areas are places that attracts large gatherings of mostly young people and middle age groups.
“During such leisure time we do disseminate information on CBS and other reproductive health issues, telling them to always access such services at the nearest PHCs closest to them at no cost.
“I am happy to inform you that due to the advocacies, couples, those intending to marry and even young adolescents are seeking for professional advice from some of the PHCs regarding CBS services”, he said.
Adamu lamented over the unprofessionalism showcased by some service providers in some CBS units.
On some of the challenges they are encountering during such campaigns, Adamu said that, “most of the challenges revolves around intermittent stock out of commodities and also in our interaction with some caregivers do complained on the methods. Some said their spouses are pierced severely in the process of accessing CBS. This, sometimes discouraged people from accessing services”.
On how to further boost acceptability of CBS services, Adamu advised that all financial charges on accessing CBS services should remained free to make it more attractive.
“I am calling on the authorities to ensure that service providers in CBS units are trained for better service,” he said.
Adamu further acknowledged the efforts of community volunteers over their house to house campaign on CBS.
Our correspondent reports that members of BPHMN in collaboration with partners do carry out routine visits to PHCs across the state with a view to reporting challenges and successes in those facilities