Efforts to improve access to quality family planning services in Abia and Akwa Ibom states have received a boost following the donation of essential medical supplies, training tools and data management resources by the Society for Family Health (SFH).
The intervention followed comprehensive facility assessments carried out by the organisation, which uncovered significant shortages affecting the delivery of family planning services across healthcare facilities in both states.
The Project Coordinator of SFH, Eze Nwokoma, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, explaining that the assessments revealed critical gaps in service delivery commodities, provider training resources and reporting tools needed to ensure effective reproductive healthcare.
According to Nwokoma, the findings highlighted an urgent need to equip health facilities with additional resources to enhance service quality and improve reproductive health outcomes.
“These included the need for additional service delivery commodities; high-end insertion kits for trained providers; anatomical models for continuous skills development; and data collection tools to improve reporting,” he said.
To address the identified deficiencies, SFH supplied a comprehensive package of family planning materials to the governments of Abia and Akwa Ibom. The donation is aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery, improving provider capacity and ensuring that family planning services remain accessible and effective.
The materials presented include high-end insertion kits, procedure kits, pelvic training models, family planning registers, monthly summary forms, provider training manuals and complete family planning kits designed to support healthcare workers in delivering quality reproductive health services.
Nwokoma said the intervention extends beyond supplying medical equipment, noting that the resources would improve service quality, enhance routine data management and promote continuous professional development for healthcare providers.
“These resources will support quality service delivery, strengthen routine data collection and reporting, and enable continuous on-the-job mentoring of healthcare providers.
“They will also ensure that health facilities are equipped to provide safe, high-quality family planning services long after the project implementation period,” he said.
The donated materials were formally received by the Commissioners of Health and other senior government officials in Abia and Akwa Ibom on behalf of their respective state governments.
According to Nwokoma, both administrations welcomed the continued partnership with SFH, describing the intervention as a timely contribution that would strengthen the capacity of healthcare workers while expanding access to reproductive health services for residents.
He added that the two state governments reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining the gains recorded through the collaboration and pledged continued support for initiatives aimed at improving healthcare delivery through partnerships with development organisations.
Describing the initiative as a strategic investment in the health sector, Nwokoma said the programme would contribute to building stronger and more resilient healthcare systems capable of delivering sustainable family planning services.
He explained that by supporting continuous provider training and strengthening routine health data systems, SFH was laying the foundation for a more efficient and sustainable family planning programme in both states.
“The long-term impact will be seen in increased access to quality contraceptive services, better-informed reproductive health choices, fewer preventable maternal deaths, and improved health outcomes for women and families,” he said.
Nwokoma further stressed that the initiative demonstrates the critical role of collaboration between governments and development partners in advancing universal access to safe, effective and high-quality family planning services across Nigeria.