Delta Government on Tuesday inaugurated the State Interfaith Forum for Health with a charge to build support and acceptability of family planning in all communities.
Dr Ejiro Oghenega, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, gave the charge while inaugurating the forum in Asaba adding that the forum should ensure reduction in maternal mortality in the state.
He noted that government was delighted to inaugurate the forum which had constituted a body with its executives duly elected to serve in the campaign for the health and wellbeing of the people of the state.
According to him, the religious leaders being inaugurated, both of Christian and Muslim faith, has Rev. Godfrey Onyeanwuli and Alhaji Adekola Yinusa as Co-Chairmen.
It also has Rev. Fovue Julius as Secretary, Malam Muibudeen Isah as Assistant Secretary, while Bishop Harriton Akpodiete is dthe PRO.
Others are: Hajia Fatima Abdulazeez as Welfare Officer, and Rev. Andrew Oreva and Hajia Fatima Afolabi as Treasurer and Financial Secretary, respectively.
Oghenega also charged them to maintain their objectives and roles which included enhancing credibility to family planning advocacy activities and seeing that religious leaders were voices and influencers in the communities.
“Dispel the myths and misconceptions about family planning services and serve as change agents, speak positively to members and followers on the gains of family planning.
“Promote greater appreciation of religious injunctions on aspects of health care delivery and health seeking for the benefits of followers,” he said.
On her part, Mrs Philomena Okeowo, Director, Family Health in the ministry, lauded the religious leaders for forming the forum on health.
She pledged to involve them in campaigns for the various immunisation programmes in the state to generate demands.
In a goodwill message, the State Coordinator, The Challenge Initiative (TCI), Mrs Nwanne Kalu said that it had supported the state government to put up the forum as partners.
She stated that it was to ensure that its programme on family planning continued to meet the needs of the people.
She noted that TCI worked with religious and cultural groups to reach the people through advocacy which helped to amplify the voices on the need to build a safer society and to ensure safe motherhood through family planning.
According to her, TCI programme is currently being run in 11 states in Nigeria, including Delta.
“TCI has evolved activities that had worked in other places into Delta as partner to ensure sustainability of the advocacy on family planning and reproductive health.
“This interfaith forum is made up of people in the state; so, even if the TCI leaves, the advocacy will be sustained,” Kalu added.
In her overview of family planning, Mrs Patricia Eke, State Coordinator Family Planning, State Primary Health Care Development Agency, dispelled the myth that uptake of family planning causes cancer.
According to her, “no method of family planning causes cancer nor leads to death; every noticed side effect is usually mild and adequately managed.
“Family planning promotes wellbeing of the family, peace and development; any noticed side effect is immediately treated and does not lead to cancer or death.”
Responding, Rev. Onyeanwuli and Alhaji Yinusa pledged their commitment to drive the campaign to promote the wellbeing of the people of the state. (NAN)
