UYO
Akwa Ibom government has committed N60 million into the National Basket Fund for the procurement of commodities to boost family planning services in the state.
This is coming after more than a decade of no fund release for family planning commodities despite budgetary provisions between 2015-2024.
From the District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2), a digital health information platform used by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health and supported by the World Health Organisation, Akwa Ibom records a maternal mortality ratio of 774 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Notwithstanding the release,stakeholders are particularly concern about inadequate consumables, workers attrition and programme funding which could derail family planning outcomes.
The funding was revealed recently , during a Pulse Check Meeting in Uyo for Family Planning and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health programmes organised by the Akwa Ibom State Government with support from The Challenge Initiative(TCI), Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programme and the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health.
It would be recalled that in May 2025 , the Commissioner for Health , Dr Ekem John had during an advocacy visit by the TCI assured that the state government would contribute to the National Basket Fund after previous budgets, including the 2025 appropriation, did not provide funding.
According to the commissioner, the government made the first tranche of payment into the National Basket Fund in January ,this year while the release of the final tranche was made in June to the United Nations Population Fund for direct procurement of family planning commodities.
The National Basket Fund is a pooled financing mechanism that supports the procurement and distribution of family planning commodities across participating states to ensure sustained access to reproductive health services.
During the meeting, government officials and development partners reviewed the state’s progress after graduating to a self-reliance stage under donor-supported interventions.
The meeting assessed whether the state is sustaining gains made during years of external technical support from the Challenge Initiative, and identified critical gaps requiring government investment to ensure improved maternal and reproductive health outcomes.
The State Coordinator,Family Planning, Mrs Enobong Eshiet, who attributed the development to the commitment of Governor Umo Eno in reforming the health sector, with the the support of the commissioner,described the release as a landmark achievement after years of advocacy.
“We have been able to contribute to the National Basket Fund for procurement of family planning commodities. A sum of N60 million has been contributed. It is something we have been begging for over 10 years, “she remarked.
Eshiet noted with delight that increased access to family planning services could raise the state’s contraceptive prevalence rate and reduce unintended pregnancies and maternal deaths.
She, however, observed that Akwa Ibom currently has an estimated unmet need for family planning of 23 per cent while unsafe abortions contribute significantly to maternal deaths, adding that improved access to contraceptives could help address the problem.
Dr Obasesam Edet, Regional Programme Manager,The Challenge Initiative,commended the state government for its contribution to the National Basket Fund but said the state must now invest in complementary inputs needed to provide family planning services.
Edet maintained that with the provision, the state now have enough commodities and every hand must be on deck to deliver robust family planning services in the state.
“There must be consumables. You cannot administer those commodities without consumables. There will also be strong need for capacity building because health workers must be ready to provide the services, “he emphasized.
He also called for greater investment in public awareness campaigns, media engagement, community outreach and male involvement to improve acceptance and utilisation of family planning services.
According to him, increasing the availability of commodities alone would not automatically improve the state’s modern contraceptive prevalence rate.
“It is the utilisation of the commodities that will move the numbers,” he added.
Edet further said that about 20 states had already contributed to the National Basket Fund, with more expected to join.
Health experts have consistently identified voluntary family planning as one of the most cost-effective interventions for reducing maternal and child mortality by preventing unintended pregnancies and promoting healthy birth spacing.
Despite the release, stakeholders , pointed out that the procurement of commodities alone would not guarantee improved access to family planning unless back up with supplies of consumables, training and service delivery.