Wives of personnel of the Nigeran Police have sought contraceptives for men to be able to properly plan their family.
The issue was raised at the sensitization campaign on family planning organized by Marie Stopes Nigeria for wives of the Nigerian police officers at the Police Clinic, Sokoto on Saturday.
According to the Regional Manager of the organization, Leonard A Viashima, in Nigeria, no fewer than one out of every five married women plans their family.
“16 percent of women want to delay or limit childbearing, but are not using contraception. For child birth spacing to move forward in Nigeria a joint effort is needed, with the government taking a leadership role in promoting the use of child birth spacing and ensuring that stakeholders take individual responsibilities seriously,” he said.
He regretted that many states have no dedicated funds to transport contraceptives to local health facilities which were provided to them by the Nigerian government at no cost.
One of the police wives who sought anonymity, however, said contraceptives should not be for women only.
Responding, Dr. Hadiza Bagudu said men also have their own methods of child spacing which were medically approved.
She also allayed the fear raised that contraceptives lead to cervical cancer and heart failure which she said was not truth.
Highlights of the event was a free screenings for cancer and sexually transmitted diseases.
