Shortage of Commodities Affecting Child Spacing Patronage – Service Providers

As Plateau State continue it drive towards having a healthy and more productive population, stakeholders have identified shortage of Family Planning Commodities as a factor adversely affecting the desired breakthrough and commitment.

A field visit for assessment of the acceptability and efficient service delivery by the Media for Family Planning Plateau State Team to some Health Facilities with Family Planning Service Centres in the State revealed some challenges being faced to achieve child spacing which was described by some clients as the best option to achieving a more healthier, productive and prosperous people.

The Field Trip took the Media Advocacy Group round some Health Facilities in the State such as Primary Health Care (PHC) Tudun Wada and Primary Health Care Clinic Jos Jarawa all in Jos North LGA where interface between Service Providers and Clients were made.

Some Child Spacing methods available at the Facilities visited according to the service providers include oral pills, injectable contraceptives, Intra Uterine Devices (IUDs) and the barriers such as the male/female condoms.

The Chief Nursing Officer of PHC Tudun Wada, Mrs Vou John Mark who is also a Service provider hinted that commodities are made available to the centre on bi-monthly but with the impressive number of clients the centre do experience shortage of commodities especially the injectable contraceptives.
She said appreciable numbers of adults and adolescents patronage the services available.

She said clients are well counselled before any form of child spacing methods is administered to them.

WShe lauded husbands for allowing and accompanying their wives in some cases for the services.

At PHC Jos Jarawa, the story was not differents as the level of acceptability according to the Deputy Coordinator Family Planning, Mrs. Tabitha Azi is impressive with the centre having a monthly average of 200 Clients when commodities are readily available.

She decried out-of-pocket purchases when commodities are exhausted and clients made themselves available for the services.

No client was available at PHC Jos Jarawa owing to lack of commodities, a situation that calls for urgent attention if the child spacing goals are to be met.

Mrs. Weplang Dashe and Mrs. Hadiza Saidu, clients at the PHC Tudun Wada Centre disclosed that child spacing is beneficial to the women, family and society as it offers them the opportunity to rest and plan well before their next birth as well as train the children well. The commended their husbands for their understanding and allowing them to go for the services.

It is therefore important that donors, stakeholders and government at all levels look into the issue of shortage or lack of commodities in some cases with the view to addressing same if the overall goals of child spacings are to be actualized. Commodities should be made available in good time and in the right quantities considering the level of patronage of child spacing service. There is also need to replenish stock in reasonable time in case of stock out, this is to ensure that Clients are not sent back on account of lack of commodities.