A coalition of health groups has called on the Nasarawa State Government to ensure adequate funding and prioritisation of family planning.

The groups under the aegis of Pathfinder International, in collaboration with Community Link for Health and Family Planning Advocacy (CLHFPA), stated that poor funding has impeded family planning target. This they attributed to lack of political will to prioritise this all-important segment of the health sector.

Head of the coalition, Mrs Mary Ashenaye stated these at a one-day media forum in Lafia on the status of family planning in the state, which was organised by Pathfinder International, in collaboration with CLHFPA.

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She alleged that the state government is paying lip services to the funding of family planning programmes, adding that N30 million which was appropriated for family planning programmes in the 2022 budget has not been released to the implementing agencies to carry out their activities.

While appealing to the state government to give priority to family planning programmes, she noted that lack of funds has stalled activities related to family planning across the state. She decried lack of political will to invest in family planning initiative, intended to curb maternal and child mortality.

She expressed disappointment that a situation where family planning budget will drag to the last quarter of the year was not healthy for the health sector.

The Secretary of the coalition, Mr Idika Kalu commended the state government for reviewing the family planning budget from N5 million to N30 million in the 2022 budget, even as he appealed for prompt release of the fund to hasten the implementation of the programme.