By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) in collaboration with Marie Stopes International (MSI) and Society for Family Health (SFH) have trained 60 Zamfara health workers on Postpartum Family Planning (PPFP).
The five-day training was supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Speaking at the training session in Gusau on Monday, the State Coordinator UNFPA programs, Mr Lawal Shehu said, the training is geared towards complementing government’s effort in promoting family planning and reproductive health services in the state.
Shehu described the PPFP as crucial aspect of reproductive health.
He said the training is aimed to enhance the capacity of family planning service providers working in maternity wards and labour rooms on Long Active Reversible Contraceptive (LARC) and Postpartum Family Planning (PPFP).
“We have trained the first batch of the training comprising 30 health workers from various health facilities across the state.
“Today we are embarking on second batch of the training, with another set of 30 participants from various health facilities across the state.
“All the participants of the training were health workers working in the labour rooms and maternity wards across various health facilities in the state,” he explained.
Shehu called on the participants to utilize the opportunity and pay attention to learn about key aspects of reproductive health services.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Zamfara Hospital Services Management Board, Mustafa Marafa described the training as welcome development.
Marafa represented by the Director Nursing Services of the Board, Aminu Gummi who assured support of the board for the success of the training.
He noted that the training is focusing on postpartum family planning to address various maternity cases, especially after birth.
“This training is targeting to prevent maternal morality as a result of postpartum hemorrhoid.
“All the participants selected for the training from the board were handling family planning cases in the labor rooms and maternity wards in the hospitals,” Executive Secretary assured.
The Executive Secretary, Zamfara Primary Health Care Board, Dr Hussaini Yakubu commended the UNFPA and other supporting partners for enhancing capacity of health workers in the state in area of family planning.
Yakubu represented by the Family Planning Coordinator of the board, Shafa’atu Abubakar said the training is basically targeting high rate of family planning and maternal cases in the state.
“Our participants are expected to cascade the knowledge to be gathered from the training to other health workers across the health facilities in the state”, he noted.
One of the participants, Madina Salihu from General Hospital Shinkafi said the training would ensure safety of the nursing mothers and children before and after the delivery.
“On behalf of the entire participants of this training, I appreciate the organisers and facilitators of this training.
“I believe this training will update our knowledge and enhance our capacity,” She added.
Speaking earlier, a lead facilitator of the training, Hadiza Yahaya said the training would be focusing on quality family planning services.
