The Federal Ministry of Health on Thursday trained no fewer than 40 local government Family Planning Coordinators in Bauchi state on the National Self Care Guidelines for Sexual, Reproductive and Maternal Health (SRMH).
Dr Salma Ibrahim, Director, Family Health Department in the ministry, said that the national document on SRMH was meant to contribute to achieving better health outcomes.
Ibrahim, who was represented by Mr Alex Ogochukwu, an Assistant Director in the ministry, said that the document would further improve uptake of health services and supplies.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that trainees also included Civil Society Organisations, Women’s groups and professional bodies in the state.
She said that the state and local governments had special roles to play in ensuring the proper dissemination and implementation of guidelines for SRMH across all the communities.
The self-care guidelines, approved by the federal health ministry had provided for national direction on the integration and delivery of the recommended interventions for SRMH in the sector.
She added that the advocacy in Bauchi was to officially rollout the self-care guidelines in the state.
“There is a need to prioritise and integrate the recommendations of this and other guidelines and policies in the health sector for economic development,’’ she said.
In his contribution, the Acting Permanent Secretary, Bauchi State Ministry of Health, Dr Dayyabu Hassan, said that the practice of self-care had been an old practice in the community and the national document would simply enhance the practice and provide for continuous learning.
Hassan commended the ministry for developing the National document for improved reproductive and sexual health.
In an interview with NAN, Mrs Sugura Lawal, the family planning coordinator, Gamawa Local Government, said that the new guidelines would create an enabling environment for the uptake of Child Birth Spacing (CBS) services.
She added that with proper mobilisation and sensitisation, self-care would promote better healthcare.
“Some CBS clients will feel comfortable with this new guidelines and policy, because they will provide care for themselves, as most of them shy away from the facility due to some cultural norms,” she said.(NAN)
