About 45 million women of child bearing age lack access to family planning and sexual reproductive health services in the country, an international Non-Governmental Organisation, Marie Stopes Nigeria, has said.
Effiom Effiom, Country Director, Marie Stopes Nigeria, while speaking in Abuja during a two-day sexual reproductive health workshop, organized by his organisation in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, for traditional and religious leaders, explained that lack of access to facilities for family planning and sexual reproductive health services contribute to the high maternal mortality rates in the country.
He added that lack of commodities at health facilities, coupled with other traditional and religious barriers, had also led to the high maternal mortality rates in the country.
The Country Director observed that the workshop was organised to make traditional and religious leaders appreciate critical issues affecting provision and uptake of quality reproductive health services in the country.
Mamman Mahmuda, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, believed that traditional and religious leaders have a role to play towards promoting advocacy and supporting demand generation for sexual reproductive health services and rights to reduce maternal and infant mortalities in Nigeria.
