The challenge of closing Nigeria’s contraceptive gap has led to the intervention of DKT Nigeria, which provides contraceptives and family planning services in Nigeria.
The company provided free family planning methods to about 500 women in a two-day outreach conducted at General Hospitals in Ikorodu, Orile Agege and Primary Health Center Idu, Abuja.
With modern contraceptive penetration rates of just 12 percent, millions of women in Nigeria remain without access to essential family planning services.
This contributes to the country’s high birth rate and exacerbates socio-economic strains, as highlighted in the U.S. Agency for International Development’s 2023 Demographic and Health Survey.
Also read: Health experts push for increased family planning resources
Unmet contraceptive needs are particularly high among vulnerable populations, with almost half of sexually active unmarried women expressing a desire to avoid pregnancy but lack the means to do so.
As the Nigerian government sets ambitious targets to increase the use of contraceptives, private actors such as DKT Nigeria are working to improve the use of contraceptives, including self-injectable contraceptives, with the aim of empowering women and improving reproductive health outcomes. We are increasing our efforts to provide innovative solutions.
The company expects that addressing systemic barriers, such as inadequate health care infrastructure and cultural misunderstandings, will be critical to meaningfully advancing family planning accessibility across the United States.
USAID research has found that contraceptive discontinuation rates among Nigerian women are as high as 41 percent, so this initiative aims to ensure that women in these communities are well-informed about reproductive health and safe sex practices. Our goal is to help you gain knowledge that will enable you to continue making informed decisions.
This outreach effort was carried out in collaboration with the Family Planning Division of the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Federal Capital Territory Primary Health Care Commission.
This has enabled the mobilization of resources, medical professionals, and community involvement.
The outreach began with an awareness walk from the DKT office in the AG Leventis building in Ido to the Oyingbo Ultra-Modern Market.
Also read: Why we embrace family planning – Religious leaders in Akwa Ibom
The walk was also attended by Nollywood actress Seyi Edun and representatives from the Lagos State Ministry of Health to help raise awareness about the importance of family planning and safe sex.
After the walk, a health talk was held at Oyinbo Market in Lagos State where the team provided important information on family planning methods, reproductive health and wellness.
Free vital checks were conducted for women and men to ensure access to basic medical examinations. To promote safe sex, samples of condoms and lubricants were distributed to local youth to encourage responsible sexual behavior.
