The Edo State Ministry of Health in collaboration with Marie Stopes International Organisation of Nigeria (MSION) has called on media practitioners to increase awareness on family planning and Adolescent and Youth Reproductive Health (AYRH) in the state.
Mrs Patricia Osazuwa, Coordinator, Reproductive/Family Planning in the ministry made the call during a media roundtable meeting in Benin on Thursday.
She urged participants to implore high level stakeholders in the media team to commit to promoting information on the media space and providing free or subsidised slot where applicable.
Osazuwa also called for an increased voice in promoting family planning/AYRH information on the media space.
She enjoined various media groups in the state to redouble their efforts and show greater commitment to AYRH advocacy.
Mrs Ogoamaka Aginamb, Regional Communications and Marketing Advisor, MSION, said that effective collaboration across the media and stakeholders of AYHD would send the message of family planning faster.
She said that family planning helps to empower women to choose how many children to have, better health and survival of mothers and children, reduction in poverty and create a better educated population.
“Planning the numbers of children to have is very important in the home.
“The aim of this roundtable meeting is to identify effective strategies to transmit information on family planning/AYRH in Edo’s media space,” she said.