Jigawa Women Family Planning: Women appeal to government for free commodities as shortages hinder access to essential services. Service providers report rising demand, but supply lags
Women in Jigawa State have voiced urgent appeals to the government for the increased availability of free family planning commodities, citing significant challenges in accessing these essential services.
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Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during the 2025 Safe Motherhood Day commemoration, they detailed the difficulties they face in managing family sizes amidst economic hardships.
Zaliha Usman, 25, revealed that despite obtaining her husband’s consent for family planning, she has been unable to access the services in Dutse due to a lack of commodities.
“Since we made the decision about five months ago, my husband and I have been checking many facilities in Dutse to access the services, but we were told that there are no commodities,” she told NAN.
Madaniya Habibu, 26, who needs to space her pregnancies to care for her five children, reported being asked to purchase commodities before receiving care. “Please, the government should assist us by giving us the commodities which were earlier distributed for free at the hospitals,” she pleaded.
Amina Adamu, a service provider at Limachi primary healthcare, confirmed the rising demand for family planning services among women, but noted that most are unwilling to pay for commodities.
“We usually ask them to purchase the commodities and access the free services at the facility, but they usually grumble that the government has been providing the commodity free of charge,” she said.
She also highlighted that men in remote areas are increasingly supportive of their wives using family planning, due to economic pressures, but they rely on free supplies.
Ankale Kongude, The Challenge Initiative (TCI) Programme Manager in Jigawa, identified commodity procurement as the primary challenge.
He stated that the state’s last procurement was in 2022, despite budget allocations in 2023 and 2024. Kongude urged the state to ensure the sustainability of the project post-TCI intervention.
Uwani Abdullahi, coordinator of the community-based organisation “Matan Karkara,” stressed the importance of supporting women in family planning, noting the struggles of women with large families to provide adequate care and moral guidance. She called on the government to strengthen and freely provide these services.
The National Safe Motherhood Day, observed annually on April 11, aims to raise awareness about the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth.
This situation in Jigawa highlights the critical need for consistent and accessible family planning services to ensure the health and well-being of women and children.
