By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
To further amplify issues related to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), Gender Based Violence (GBV), Post Abortion Care (PAC) and Mental Health (MH) Care, Bauchi State Ministry of Health (SMoH) in collaboration with Academy for Health Development (AHEAD), and GUTTMACHER Institute USA have organised an advocacy meeting with a media based non profit organisation, Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD) and other relevant stakeholders.
Gender Desk officer of the Ministry Zuwaira Baba said that the objectives of the meeting was to,, among other things, update Stakeholders/Journalists on the status of SRH/Post Abortion Care and in Bauchi State.
The meeting, according to Baba, was aimed at exploring opportunities and strategies on reporting SRH/post abortion care and mental health in the State.
Other objectives of the meeting were to share understanding among stakeholders and to further proffer solutions to challenges around SRH/Post Abortion Care & Mental Health Services in Bauchi State.
Relying on some data published in journals, surveys and studies, Zuwaira Baba, who is also a cohort 3 fellow of the GUTTMACHER Institute USA, said that sexual and reproductive health services include access to information and services on prevention, diagnosis, counselling, treatment and care, and require that all people can safely reach services without difficulties.
Baba further said that good sexual and reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system.
She said that, according to WHO guidelines on post abortion care (PAC) of 2022, PAC includes mental health support, which is critical, but often overlooked as reproductive health services
Using the result of a study conducted by some health scholars in 2022, Baba quoted the findings as saying, “fewer primary healthcare facilities in Nigeria, Kenya and burkina Faso had the capacity to deliver on all basic components of basic PAC”.
She said that other morbidities as a result of SRH and abortion complications include depression, stigma, isolation etc.
While speaking SRH as it affects mental health, the cohort 3 fellow said that mental health and SRH are both important aspects of overall well- being, and they are closely linked.
She said that changes in SRH can impact mental health, and that mental health challenges can increase SRH vulnerabilities.
Baba quoted WHO as saying, “one in every eight persons around the world are living with mental health conditions”.
She said that, according to the Women’s Health Journal of 2021, Changing hormones during menstruation, pregnancy, delivery and or abortion can cause mental health conditions
The meeting which generated robust discussions from the participants agreed on the need for the media to amplify on increased investment, through advocacy, for more funding by both government and donors and awareness creation and community mobilization through male engagement.
Participants further recommended for capacity building to relevant stakeholders especially media professionals on reporting.
The meeting also agreed on the need to strengthen the legal framework in the state on SRH, PAC, Mental Health and GBV.
Another area of advocacy identified by the participants was in the provision and scale up of training and retraining of healthcare workers on Mental Health, PAC etc.