Lagos July 2016 - Nigeria records one of the poorest maternal mortality rates in the world according to the National Demographic Health Survey, NDHS 2013.  Our population continues to increase rapidly with disproportionate development in health care service delivery.

With a current estimated population of 186 million and an annual growth rate of about 2.5%, Nigeria’s huge population, fueled by high birth rate without good family planning, can be a huge burden with resultant poor health indices such as high maternal and infant deaths.

In recognition of the critical role the media plays in agenda setting on matters of national interest, DevComs organized roundtable meetings with editors from print, radio, television and online media in Lagos, Kaduna and Oyo States.  The meeting supported by Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative, NURHI was aimed at enlisting support from the executives for increased coverage of maternal and child health issues (including Family Planning) on their platforms.

The meeting was centered on the challenges related with maternal and child health service delivery in Nigeria. Participants were taken through the relationship between Family Planning and sustainable development in the country and the need for the media to support increased coverage of Family Planning and its related issues.

Deliberations were made on how the media could project Family Planning and support improved and more frequent coverage of related issues so that our government can be held accountable.