Firm Expresses Concerns over Nigeria’s High Rate of Unwanted Pregnancies

Gilbert Ekugbe

DKT Nigeria has expressed concerns over the high rate of unwanted pregnancies in the country.

In a statement, DKT added that to checkmate the high level of unwanted pregnancies in the community, it organised an outreach programme to give women the power to take charge of their reproductive health and advance the well-being of their families.

According to reports, the rate of unwanted or unintended pregnancies in Nigeria is substantial, ranging from around 11 per cent to over 25 per cent in some regions, with a high proportion of these pregnancies ending in unsafe abortions due to the country’s restrictive abortion laws.

The statement also stated that the outreach was to close the knowledge gap among women of reproductive age in low-income areas, raise awareness on the use of modern contraceptives, especially Intrauterine devices (IUDs).

The Hospital Sales and Clinical Service Team, led by Mrs. Faustina Ekundare, gave a comprehensive health talk to women in Makoko and performed free vital checks on them.

She said residents who were willing to adopt a family planning method were also given free contraceptive services along with appropriate counseling from the knowledgeable DKT team.

Ekundare stated that, “The primary aim of this initiative is not just about preventing unplanned pregnancies, saying that the main goal of the outreach is to foster a positive culture of informed choices and empower individuals to take charge of their health and future.

“Our outreach embodies the belief that every person deserves the right to plan their family on their terms, ensuring a brighter, healthier tomorrow for all.”

In addition to continuing to inform communities about the advantages of family planning and providing them with a full range of contraceptive services, DKT Nigeria is committed to carrying out more outreach programs and training initiatives in other underserved regions of the country to ensure that every provider is well-equipped with adequate training and family planning products.

The outreach was conducted in memory of Phil Harvey, the founder of DKT International, an American philanthropist who established programmes like DKT to provide subsidised contraceptives to underdeveloped and impoverished nations.