The Federal Government on Wednesday pledged additional 8.3 million dollars for the improvement of women’s reproductive health for a period of four years.
Dr Muhammad Pate, the Minister of State for Health, made the statement at the London Summit on Family Planning, organised by UK aid in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
“We are now committing to provide an additional 8,350,000 dollars annually over the next four years, in addition to our current annual commitment of three million dollars for the procurement of reproductive health commodities.
“This additional amount will be programmed within the existing projection for the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme funds for Maternal and Child Health,’’ Pate said.
He said in order to achieve the goal, at least 31,000 maternal deaths must be averted and more than 700,000 mothers prevented from injuries or long-term complications from childbirth.
Pate also said that Nigeria was committed to achieving the goal of a contraceptive prevalence rate of 36 per cent by 2018.
“We are committed to increasing the awareness and demand for family planning and reproductive health services by women regardless of their socio-economicstatus,’’ the minister said.(NAN)