July 18, (THEWILL) – A medical expert and religious leader have advised families to adopt child spacing methods, saying lack of adequate planning for childbearing could result in unnecessary economic and financial burdens for families and society.
They stated this at a round table meeting organised by The Challenge Initiatives (TCI) with childbirth spacing stakeholders in Maiduguri on Wednesday.
Speaking, the Secretary, Association of Resident Doctors (UMTH Chapter) in Maiduguri, Dr. Abubakar Ngubdo, stressed that Borno State has a high rate of maternal and neonatal mortality due to economic hardship and insurgency crisis faced by families.
Dr. Ngubdo, who is an Obstetrics and Gynaecologist, urged families to put in place necessary measures to improve the overall healthcare of women and newborns, saying such would help to reduce the number of preventable deaths.
“As I said, looking at indices, Borno State has very high maternal and neonatal mortality, and what is responsible for this is because the state has been hit by insurgency, in addition to the current economic hardship which has affected the purchasing power of families.
“So, child spacing is a very important factor to families. Ideally, before a woman gets pregnant, that child should be properly planned in terms of health and economic wise. It is very important for families to prepare and plan. This will reduce the economic burden on the family.
“We all know the expenses that come with childbirth in our society from maternity to baby kits to drugs to hospital expenses and naming ceremonies. So, all these expenses can be an additional burden and with this harsh economy, it is safe to prepare and plan before embarking on it,” he advised.
Also, the State Chairman, JIBWIS, Alhaji Goni Abdu, who spoke on the intersection of culture, religion and childbirth spacing in Borno, noted that Islam gave clear instructions that husbands should be able to provide food, shelter, clothes and other necessities their families.
“There is no clear prohibition in Sharia and Hadith that stops somebody from spacing childbirth and planning his family. In fact, it is even a welcome idea. This is because as a husband or household, you have the responsibility of taking care of your family, and that’s why the Holy Book said you should marry if you have the means. So, I don’t think we have the grounds in Hadith or Quran that say you should not plan your family.
“So, as a religious leader, it is very important to plan your family and cater for them through your means of livelihood in accordance with what you have. You can’t give what you don’t have because it will bring burden to you,” Goni noted.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the State Lead of TCI, Dr. Yusuf Ahmad, said that the aim of the meeting was to discuss issues around CBS and to explore effective communications tools that would suit the culture and religion of the people.
