Healthcare professionals across Gombe State have significantly enhanced their skills in modern family planning methods following an intensive five-day training program. The initiative, organized by the Rotary Action Group for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health (RMCH) in partnership with the Gombe State Government, concluded on November 27, 2025.
Comprehensive Training for Better Maternal Health
The training program focused specifically on Family Planning Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (FP/LARCS), equipping doctors, nurses, midwives, and Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) with advanced knowledge and practical skills. This initiative forms a crucial component of the "Together For Healthy Families in Nigeria Project (THFN)" aimed at transforming reproductive healthcare delivery in the state.
During the closing ceremony, Professor Emmanuel Lufadeju, the Country Director of Rotary Nigeria, emphasized the critical importance of the program. "The project's primary goal is to improve maternal, reproductive, and child health outcomes across Nigeria," Professor Lufadeju stated. He further explained that high birth rates without proper spacing significantly endanger mothers' lives and contribute substantially to the country's alarming maternal and infant mortality rates.
Practical Hands-On Learning Experience
The training incorporated extensive practical sessions at three major healthcare facilities in Gombe State capital: Zainab Bulkachuwa Women and Children Hospital, Pantami Primary Health Care Centre, and Town Maternity. These hands-on sessions enabled participants to apply their newly acquired knowledge in real-world settings under professional supervision.
Participants were strategically selected from Primary Health Care Centres in Kaltungo Local Government Area, identified as one of the key implementation zones for Rotary's Reproductive and Maternal Child Health initiatives in Gombe State.
Strengthening Healthcare Delivery Systems
High-ranking officials expressed strong support for the initiative during the closing ceremony. Dr. Abdurahman Shuaibu, Executive Secretary of Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, and Mr. Mohammed Dantata Ndus, Gombe State Rotary Representative and Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry for Local Government and Community Development, both commended Rotary's ongoing commitment to improving maternal healthcare services.
The officials urged all trained healthcare workers to utilize their enhanced skills to guide community members on effective family planning practices. They particularly emphasized the importance of building confidence and competence in delivering quality child-spacing services to reduce the state's maternal mortality rates.
This comprehensive training program specifically aims to address the unmet need for contraceptives by providing effective options that cater to diverse community needs. The ultimate objective is to educate both women and men about available family planning choices, enabling them to make autonomous, informed decisions about preventing unintended pregnancies, spacing births, or stopping childbirth according to their personal circumstances.
