Covid -19 lockdown : Expect population explosion  – FG 

Covid -19: Expect population explosion  – FG

The Federal Government has predicted that the world would witness population explosion in the months ahead as a result of the  global covid -19 lockdown arising from  millions of unwanted pregnancies.

 Director, Reproductive Health in the Federal Ministry of Health , Dr Kayode Afolabi who stated this during online interaction with Stakeholders in Health Care Services also said that the impact of the pandemic slowed down manufacturing, shipping logistics and exposed fragility of supply chain on FP contents .

Dr Afolabi said that there was initial poor coordination of RH/FP service provision due to prohibition of meetings and gatherings at National and State levels , RH/FP services were interrupted at tertiary, secondary and primary health facilities due to restrictions on movement to contain the spread of of COVID’19 and commodities stock out, available RH/FP guidelines were lacking on protocols to be followed in offering services during the COVID’19 pandemic while RH/FP services were not prioritized in the initial COVID’19 Response Plan at National, State levels.

On actions taken to address COVID’19 induced challenges, Dr Afolabi said that the Family Health Department Secured approval of the Honourable Minister to communicate to States  to sustain   RMNCAH-N information and services ( including RH/FP) during COVID’19 pandemic, Road pass for vendors and Trucks Drivers transporting FP commodities to the various States and FCT, supported a number of partners with contraceptive commodities for distribution to their  supported service delivery sites , working to ensure maternity units have isolation centres equipped with equipment for delivery of COVID’19 pregnant women with ventilation bags and masks and other respiratory supports.

Dr Afolabi also said that in their further actions ,National FP distribution went through States ,strengten community – based  family planning programme to ensure that FP clients receive services and mmodities within their immediate communities including in humanitarian settings saying that National guidelines on self care is being developed in collaboration with WHO and SFH while virtual meeting was held with State Reproductive Health Coordinators and State Family Planning Coordinators to discuss status of Reproductive health/Family planning implementation in the States and to agree  on key tasks to sustain service delivery and update.