Gombe PHCDA, TCI meet religious leaders on child spacing
Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency in collaboration with The Challenge Initiative TCI has met with religious leaders across the state to orient them on the importance of child spacing for the improvement of maternal and child
The orientation program held at Emerald Hotel Gombe had in attendance reknown Christian and Islamic scholars across Gombe state.
In an opening remarks the Executive Secretary Of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency Represented by Hajiya Maryam Abubakar Said the orientation is to create awareness and interact with the religious leaders being the eye of the people.
The Executive Secretary said religious leaders are critical stakeholders in childbirth spacing practice saying if the message of acceptance comes from.the religious leaders the members will accept the practice with no doubt.
The State Program coordinator of TCI Yakubu Usman while giving the challenge initiative approaches of Child birth spacing said TCI delivers lasting impact through its business unusual model and working in Gombe to improve access of child spacing services.
He said the presence of TCI in Gombe followed invitation by the state government to intervene in the improvement of maternal health hence it focus on child spacing.
Speaking on child spacing the christian perspective ,the director of Education Christian Association of Nigeria CAN Bauchi Elder Musa Abel quoting the book of proverbs said God makes it clear that Christians have the responsibility to prepare and care their families
He said God is interested in the physical well being of the people hence ensuring good health is key in Christianity .
Elder Abel said most churches have no formal position on birth control but it is believed that non abortive form of child spacing are permissible adding child spacing is about planing and spacing and not about number of children.
The Sarkin Malam Toro Alhaji Suleiman Usman who spoke on Muslim perspective quoted verses of the Quran on the importance of physical health.
He said northern Nigeria is known for it low contractive prevalence and one of the barriers is misconceptions and myths.
He said in order to successful address the barriers there is need to engage religious leaders to explore the correct Islamic perspective stressing the need to communicate the views during jummat,tafsir and other available platforms.
The representative of the child spacing coordinator Mrs Aise Fada enumerated the challenges of child spacing services to include cultural and religious beliefs.
She said according to the 2018 National Demographic Health Survey two hundred and twenty four women die from.complications of pregnancy and delivery out of every one thousand live births in Gombe state.
Mrs Fada said with comprehensive child birth spacing package the number of maternal deaths will be reduced calling for the support of the religious leaders.
