FAMILY PLANING: MY HUSBAND ENCOURAGES ME TO CHANGE METHOD, MARRIED STUDENTS TELLS HER STORY

YOLA —By Ojoma Yusuf,YolaIkilima Usman a 17 year-old married woman and a student in Demsa Local Government Area of Adamawa gave her interesting testimony on the success recorded as the result of family planning method.Ikilima disclose this during a media advocacy for family planning organized Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency in collaboration with The Challenge Network (TCI ) supported by DavComs Network.The Advocacy which kicked started after training of over 20 experienced Journalists on media advocacy for Family Planning in Adamawa.In her words Family Planning has profited her and her child.“I am still a student and I just got married last year my child is just 10 months old as the result of child spacing we are both healthy and properly concentrate on my studies because, I imbibed the implantation method.“I am here to today at the health care center to change the method”, she narrated.According to her, the Inplanon has been bringing down her weight drastically and it has been a concern to her and the husband.“Because of this challenge we decided to change for injection method which will be done at three month interval.“I sincerely encourage women to imbibe the culture of family planning of course aside from reducing the rate of maternal mortality it will also allow you to raise a healthy child.“My husband encouraged me to go for it, so we can properly space our children and that gives me enough time to study as student and to rest. My child is growing very well, I now have enough time to carter for him as I am resting properly after giving birth and my academic is moving smoothly.Ikilima furt advised women to freely adopt family planning for a better family setting.According to her, the myth on family planning should be avoided and called on women to see a service provider for counseling to get a suitable modern for planning.“I am changing my method today via the help of the counsellors here and my husband is fully in support.In an interview with the press, Facility Manager, Mrs Rose Manasseh affirmed that women have now embraced the family planning concept to control child spacing in their community.She equally pointed out that adolescence within the ages of 14 and 16 years both married and unmarried now adopted the modern of family planning considering the economic imbalance in Nigeria.Meanwhile at the Nasarawo Damsa Primary Health Care Center, Praise Uriah the family planning service provider mentioned that time has changed and with more enlightenment women are now willing to indulge in family planning to avoid any unprepared pregnancy and to properly space their children.“Over 300 women visit the facility monthly for various types of modern family planning methods and the services are free”, Praise stated.One of the mobilizer at the Narawo Damsa Primary Health Care Center on the Family Planing, Yinnmi Livingstone stated that women are now very interested in family planning. YouShe stated that with her loads of experience on the field she can testify that even the men now encourages their wives to embrace family planning.