The Lagos State government has announced the implementation of community-based sensitisation programmes aimed at addressing barriers to contraceptive access and improving family planning uptake across the state. This was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi, during the unveiling of the Avibela Hormonal Intrauterine Device (IUD) in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday.
According to Ms. Ogunyemi, the state's family planning initiatives deliberately engage men, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other key community stakeholders to address misconceptions and improve acceptance of contraceptive services. She emphasised the importance of involving men, noting that some women request the removal of IUDs after their husbands complain of feeling the strings during sexual intercourse.
Ms. Ogunyemi stated that sustained awareness campaigns have helped demystify myths, misinformation, and disinformation surrounding family planning and contraceptive use. She added that the government is also exploring ways to expand access to family planning services in riverine and hard-to-reach communities, where residents often face significant barriers to healthcare.
Nigeria continues to face significant gaps in access to modern contraceptives despite efforts to improve reproductive healthcare services. Women account for nearly half of the country's population of over 200 million, yet the uptake of modern contraceptive methods remains low. Health experts indicate that millions of women of reproductive age still have an unmet need for family planning services. The country also has one of the world's highest maternal mortality burdens, with unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and high fertility rates contributing significantly to preventable maternal and newborn deaths. Public health experts consider family planning one of the most effective interventions for improving maternal and child health outcomes.
At the event, DKT International, a social enterprise focused on sexual and reproductive health products, launched Avibela, a hormone-releasing IUD designed to prevent pregnancy for up to eight years. The T-shaped device is inserted into the uterus by a trained healthcare provider and gradually releases levonorgestrel, a progestin hormone commonly used in contraceptive pills.
Speaking during a keynote presentation, Ayodeji Oluwole, Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), said Nigeria's unmet need for contraception is driven by multiple factors, including supply chain challenges, fear of side effects, cultural and religious concerns, widespread misconceptions, and disparities in access between urban and rural communities. According to him, approximately one in five Nigerian women of reproductive age has an unmet need for contraception, while an estimated 6.8 million unintended pregnancies occur annually.
Professor Oluwole noted that hormonal IUDs address several challenges associated with contraceptive use because they provide a highly effective, long-acting, and reversible 'set-and-forget' option. They bypass the need for daily pill adherence while offering clinical health benefits that help reduce cultural stigmas, ultimately increasing family planning acceptance nationwide. He added that the use of long-acting reversible contraceptives has increased in recent years, with adoption rising from fewer than two per cent in 2013 to 24 per cent by 2018. Beyond pregnancy prevention, hormonal IUDs provide additional health benefits, including reduced menstrual bleeding, relief from menstrual pain, and protection of the endometrium.
Debo Satapathy, Country Director of DKT International, stated that the organisation is working with private healthcare providers, non-profit organisations, and government health authorities to ensure the product is widely available across Nigeria. He noted that Avibela is already available in more than 19 countries and underwent extensive clinical testing before being introduced into the Nigerian market. He added that DKT International plans to conduct outreach programmes that will provide the product free of charge to women who cannot afford it.
