The Challenge Initiative, TCI, Nigeria, has urged religious leaders to preach the gospel of childbirth spacing to their followers, saying that such practice can reduce maternal mortality by 33 percent.
A facilitator with the TCI, Docas Akila, made the urge at a 3-day workshop organised to solicit religious leaders’ support in promoting family planning and childbirth spacing in Plateau State.
According to her, religious leaders needed to embark on constant dialogue and engage their followers through strategic advocacy, not lobby or protest.
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“There are a lot of myths and misconception about family planning and childbirth spacing, even among religious leaders,” she lamented.
“Religious prohibitions and cultural beliefs have contributed to the limited use of contraception in many places in Nigeria. As such, religious leaders have a role to play in educating the people on the need to go about child-spacing,” Ms Akila added.
She further noted that childbirth spacing help in reducing the maternal mortality rate by 33 percent, besides improving the health standards of mothers.
Also speaking, Dr. Olukunle Omotoso said religious leaders should do things differently than the ordinary man does.
“You should speak very well on childbirth spacing in Plateau State,” he added.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that the workshop drew participants from different faith-based organisations of the Muslims and Christians within Plateau State.
