The Federal Government has taken an important step to promote inclusive family planning, empowering women and girls with disabilities to access reproductive health services across Nigeria.
This commitment was highlighted during the closing ceremony of the Inclusive Family Planning (IFPLAN) project held in Abuja, organized in collaboration with Sightsavers Nigeria, BBC Media Action and PEDAN.
Speaking at the event, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, said the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes inclusive healthcare for all Nigerians, ensuring that no one is left behind.
“The IFPLAN project directly promotes SDG 3 on good health and well-being and SDG 5 on gender equality, including access to sexual and reproductive health services.
“This ceremony celebrates the impact, transformation and dignity restored to women and girls with disabilities who now have better access to reproductive health services,” she said.
She explained that for four years, the project, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) under the Inclusive Futures umbrella, has removed barriers, strengthened service delivery and empowered women and girls with disabilities in selected local government areas in Kaduna State.
Isa praised the project partners, saying: “Their collaborative efforts have touched and transformed the lives of thousands of women and girls with disabilities.
“They have demonstrated what is possible when development partners commit to inclusion, evidence-based interventions and community-driven impact.”
Furthermore, Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Umma Kaltume Ahmed, stated that the IFPLAN project has brought comprehensive and lasting progress to countless families in the state by ensuring that persons with disabilities have equitable access to family planning services.
Ahmed said the initiative has not only advanced the project, but also strengthened the values of inclusion, dignity and human rights, noting that these achievements will continue to be a cornerstone in the collective path towards universal health coverage.
He highlighted the state government’s commitment to championing inclusive governance and people-centred development, saying that under the leadership of the state governor, Uba Sani, priority has been given to health reforms, expanding access to primary health care and strengthening partnership with development agencies.
“We in Kaduna State firmly believe that no one should be left behind, regardless of their ability or circumstances,” he reaffirmed, saying the state government has demonstrated this through increased budgetary allocation to health.
“We have managed to sustain the declaration of 15 percent of the state budget to the health sector, we have made progress in the 2026 budget. There is a budget line for this project.
“As we celebrate the lockdown, we must also look to the future. Sustainability is not just a job, it is a responsibility. The Ministry of Health will continue to integrate inclusive family planning services into our health system.
“We will strengthen collaboration with our partners, build capacity among health workers and ensure that the voices of people with disabilities remain central to policy and practice,” he reiterated.
Meanwhile, the National Director of Sightsavers Nigeria, Professor Joy Shuai’bu, stressed that it was the responsibility of the government to take care of every citizen and provide access to adequate healthcare to all citizens of this country.
Highlighting Sightsavers’ role in the IFPLAN project, he said the organization put much of its investment into training health workers in the community to enable them to provide quality services to people with disabilities.
“When you empower someone with education and knowledge, it stays with them forever. That’s why we wanted to make sure healthcare providers feel comfortable providing services to people with disabilities.
“And one of the things we did on this project was provide that knowledge to ensure that they know the essence of the project.
“We also know that our donors have infinite resources. That’s why we tried to do our best to strengthen the existing health system so that we can move forward,” Shuai’bu explained.
She added that Sightsavers was dedicated to advocating especially for women with disabilities, as it was their right to be heard and to have access to appropriate and quality healthcare services, saying that “when people with disabilities are denied access to sexual and reproductive health care services, they are denied their right. And so we start with them, to give them a voice and fight for themselves.”
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