The Chairman of the National Population Commission, NPC, Nasir Kwarra, says implementation of the National Population Policy for Sustainable Development is vital to improving the quality of life and the standard of living of Nigerians.
Nasir, stated this in Abuja while giving a synopsis on the Revised National Population Policy at Journalists Workshop on Revised National Population for Sustainable Development, organized the NPC in partnership with the Africa Health Budget Network, AHBN.
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He said the targets of the Policy is increase in immunization coverage for children under the age of five, reduction in neonatal and infant mortality rate, reduction in maternal mortality rate, increase in modern contraceptive uptake among others.
“Key targets set to guide the policy programming and implementation include achieving a reduction of the national annual population growth rate from the current 2.6 percent to 2.5 percent in 2025 and 2 percent by the year 2030; a reduction in total fertility rate from the current 5.3 percent to 4.7 percent by 2025 and 4.0 percent by 2030; increase in modern contraceptive prevalence rate to 27 percent by 2020 and thereafter achieve at least a two percentage point per year till 2030 – and then a modern contraceptive prevalence rate of 37 percent in 2025 and 47 percent by 2030.
“Also increase immunization coverage for children under 5 years from current 31 percent to 56 percent in 2025 and 80 percent by the year 2030; reduce neonatal mortality rate from the current 39 to 19 deaths per 1000 live births by 2030; reduce maternal mortality ratio from the current 512 to 256 death deaths per 100, 000 live births by 2025 and zero deaths by 2030; reduce infant mortality rate from the current 67 to 45 per 1000 live births in 2025 and 35 per 1000 live births by 2030; reduce child mortality rate from the current 64 to 42 deaths per 1000 live births in 2025 and 25 deaths per 1000 live births by 2030; reduce Under-5 mortality rate from the current 132 to 88 per 1000 live births by 2025 to 40 per 1000 live births by 2030.
“And also, increase the Antenatal Care attendance rates from currently 57 percent to 72 percent in 2025 and 87 percent of every pregnant woman per community at the end of 2030; achieve Universal Health Coverage of 38 percent in 2025 and at least 75 percent by 2030; reduce rural urban migration by 5 percent yearly; and reduce gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls from the current 46 percent to 20 percent in 2025 and to zero by 2030.”
Speaking exclusively to our correspondent, the Coordinator of AHBN, Dr. Aminu Magashi pledged AHBN’s commitment to supporting the Commission to strengthen the National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development implementation structures.
Dr. Magashi also said the Network is interested in providing technical support for the development of an implementation framework, as well as an accountability mechanism.
“You heard from the Chairman that they want to strengthen and ensure that the Population Management Council is holding meetings, the Population Advisory Council is on the meeting, and also the Technical Working Committees or Groups are also holding meetings. These are three structures all hosted by the National Population Commission.
“The commitment from AHBN is to help the Commission to strengthen those structures, to provide multi-sectorial and multi-stakeholder coordination approach. The second area we need to come in is to help the Commission develop implementation framework for the policy and also accountability framework that will track performance, help them to review progress; and also to look at resource mobilization such as financing, how to raise money, not just to raise money but support them on how to ensure tracking of all resources that have been mobilized.”
Meanwhile, media participants at the workshop were urged to increase visibility for the National Population Policy and convince government and other stakeholders on the need to effectively fund implementation of the Policy.
