Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health has announced its willingness to ensure that funds for the state’s contributions into the National Basket Fund for family planning is captured in the next budget.
Eleven states have implemented the State Funded Procurement Guidelines on family planning in 2024 to align with Nigeria’s FP2030 commitments. Akwa Ibom, however had neither contributed to the national pool for the procurement of FP commodities nor released money directly for the procurement of those commodities and consumables.
But the new Commissioner for Health, Dr Ekem Emmanuel, while playing host to Ibom Advocacy Core Group in his office, insisted that Governor Umo Eno’s administration understands the importance of family planning to maternal health and economic development, therefore he would put everything in place to address the challenges currently facing its uptake and unmet needs.
Emmanuel also expressed hope that the funds when budgeted would be released adding that the ministry would play a key role to follow-up the process.
He said, “For the challenges to be addressed, the Ministry of Health will ensure that funds for the state’s contributions into the National Basket Fund for family planning is first captured in the budget and the budgetary provisions for consumables needed for the administration of the family planning commodities would be provided.”
The commissioner noted that plans are underway for the employment of 600 health workers with modalities for rural posting incentives to health workers in the state almost completed
He promised the group of the ministry’s readiness to deepen collaboration with partners and stakeholders on family planning issues, adding that already the ministry is running an open door policy.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Ibom Advocacy Core Group, Dr. Mandu Ekpenyong noted that the visit was geared towards putting heads together with the government to see how maternal and infant mortality rate can be reduced in the state through improved attention on family planning.
Ekpenyong requested the Akwa Ibom State government to join other states in the funding of procurement of family planning commodities through the National Basket Fund for family planning and also procure consumables needed to administer the commodities.
While commending The Challenge Initiative (TCI) for the significant family planning support provided to the state across 10 local government areas, she called on the state government to show more interest in owning the work done by TCI especially as the partner may soon leave the state.
