About 80 child productive age women have assessed the family planning facility at Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State during the dreaded coronavirus pandemic lockdown, thereby recording sharp increase.

Reproductive Health Supervisor at the Oleh Primary Health Centre, Mrs. Atedezi Aforke who disclosed this to newsmen yesterday said the sharp increase in the number of users was a result of the lockdown, as the facility normally witnessed 60 and below monthly.

According to her, In a month, we record no fewer than 80 users from our list during the lockdown which is an increase compared to 60 and below that we use to have monthly before the lockdown.

Mrs. Aforke who is also the Family Planning Provider at the facility added that the facility has not recorded any case of coronavirus.

She explained that the surge in family planning uptake during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown was as a result of family's closeness and intimacy during the period.

Mrs. Aforke however appealed to the relevant authorities to supply the facility with adequate commodities and consumables to enable them discharge their duties effectively.

"Our challenge is that of shortage of commodities, we had expected that the state government would have supplied us but we are still waiting.

"We also have challenge of consumables, though family planning is free but in terms doing pregnancy tests to be sure before given the family planning service; we have to buy needles and syringes among others.

"We improvise, we cannot deny any woman of family planning services because she cannot forgive us if she comes down with unwanted pregnancy", she emphasized.

Similarly, Mrs. Akpolo Mario, Chief Nursing Officer(CNO) attached to Primary Health Centre, Ekuigbo-Iyede in Isoko North LGA noted that the up take of family planning in the area has steadily risen as new users come in good numbers especially during the lockdown period.

"Our monthly average of users is averagely 80 persons with age brackets of between 19 years and 46 years of age, with some of the women single parent.

"For the married women, only about one percent of them have issues with their husbands; I recalled that one of the husbands called me to warn that his wife must not take family planning but after adequate counselling, he saw reasons and gave approval", she averred.

Also speaking, the Family Planning Health Educator at Oleh PHC, Mrs. Loretta Onieba said that women in the communities have been sensitized on the need to take up family planning as well as how to stem the spread of the COVID -19 disease in the area during the anti-natal.

Mrs. Onieba added that sensitization has also been carried out in markets, hotels, and public places before the COVID-19 lockdown.

On her part, Mrs. Oghenekome Obaro, Trader and user of family planning urged nursing mothers to take the family planning very serious.

According to her, It is safe, good and will help the mother to save more and have good health to deliver other children.

"I was a victim of unwanted pregnancy, I become pregnant after nine months of delivery which was not an easy situation for me to manage.

"As you can see, this is my second baby and because I had her in quick succession, it was tough for me to manage the children and to also do other things to support the family.

"My husband is in support and he personally brought me here at the Primary Healthcare Centre to take the Family Planning policy to prevent sudden and unplanned pregnancy", she testified.

END.

By Anastacia Eluwa, Asaba