Gombe State Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) has risen from 4.7 per cent to 17 per cent in five years, says an official.
Mrs Rejoice Molta, Gombe State Coordinator, Child Spacing, State Primary Health Care Development Agency (GSPCDA), disclosed this during an interactive session with newsmen on Wednesday.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines contraceptive prevalence as the percentage of women who are currently using, or whose sexual partner is currently using, at least one method of contraception, regardless of the method used.
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It is usually reported for married or in-union women aged 15 years to 49 years.
Molta said that the National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) of 2013 placed the state CPR at 4.7 per cent, while the current NDHS released for 2018 indicates that the percentage had significantly increased to 17.
“The state is targeting 20 per cent by the end of 2020, and we are highly optimistic that this is achievable, given the level of awareness in society.
“The success recorded is as a result of the role played by traditional and religious leaders in creating awareness in their communities,’’ the coordinator said.
Also speaking, Malam Alhassan Yahaya, Co-chairman, Advocacy Working Group on Child Spacing in the state, said the benefits of child spacing could not be overemphasised.
Yahaya appealed to men, who could become stumbling blocks to their wives, to embrace it.
“Child spacing makes babies grow healthier because the mother will give a lot of attention to the baby.
“Research has shown that subscribing to child-spacing will avert over 30 per cent of the death rate among women during and after birth.
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