Kano’s Family Planning Strategy Sets a National Example
Onyinye Oranezi (Lead Writer)
Kano State has taken a significant step towards improving the health and well-being of its residents with the launch of a new Family Planning Strategic Plan in December 2024. This strategic plan addresses critical reproductive health challenges, including high fertility rates, maternal and child health issues, and the unmet need for family planning services.
Kano has one of Nigeria’s highest total fertility rates at approximately 6.8%. It is experiencing rapid population growth, with an estimated 1,000 births recorded daily. This growth places immense pressure on healthcare services and resources.
Maternal and child health indicators further underscore the urgency of interventions: maternal mortality rate stands at 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births, while child mortality is 103 per 1,000 live births. In addition, only 36.3% of deliveries in Kano are attended by skilled birth attendants, highlighting significant gaps in access to quality healthcare services.
Family planning services in Kano remain unmet, with a modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) of just 10.6% among women aged 15–49. Despite progress, challenges such as cultural misconceptions, inadequate access to contraceptives, commodity stockouts, and a shortage of trained healthcare personnel persist.
Why a family planning strategy in Kano State?
The launch of the Family Planning Strategic Plan signals a pivotal step toward improving maternal health and expanding access to family planning services. This state will target 845,114 women between 2025 and 2030, aiming to increase access to modern contraceptives and reduce the unmet need for family planning.
Between 2018 and 2023, Kano State witnessed significant progress in modern contraceptive use, increasing from 5% to 10.6%, as reported by the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). Despite this progress, challenges such as service coverage gaps and supply chain continuity persist, underscoring the urgency of the newly launched plan. By taking ownership of its Family Planning agenda, the state is driving alignment and coordination of efforts among partners to ensure impactful investments in Family Planning programmes over the next five years.
The new strategic plan will also address the challenge of access to modern contraceptives by improving healthcare delivery systems and overcoming cultural and logistical barriers. This milestone initiative aims to reduce maternal and child mortality, alleviate the strain on healthcare resources, and foster healthier communities across the state.
Sada Dan’Musa, the National Consultant who led the plan’s development, remarked:
“This strategic plan was built on a foundation of comprehensive background analysis and active stakeholder involvement. It offers targeted initiatives to address critical gaps and ensures that family planning services reach women who need them the most.”
The strategy incorporates a detailed action framework to optimise resource allocation, utilise real-time data for programme adjustments, and deploy high-impact practices to sustain the family planning system. Developed through an inclusive and participatory process, the plan is designed to improve maternal health outcomes and empower women with access to reproductive health resources.
Alignment with National and Global goals
The Family Planning Strategic Plan aligns with Nigeria’s National Family Planning Blueprint known as FP2030 commitments, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring its impact extends beyond Kano State.
Rodio Diallo, Deputy Director for Family Health at Gates Foundation Africa, applauded Kano’s leadership: “This is a significant achievement with the potential to transform the health landscape of the state.”
Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Kano State, emphasised the importance of collaboration and tailored technical assistance to ensure the successful implementation of the plan. He noted that the strategy shifts from planning to action, marking a turning point in Kano’s commitment to reproductive health.
What’s next for Kano?
Insights from The Challenge Initiative’s (TCI) support in various states across Nigeria emphasise the need for state-specific strategies to tackle unique challenges that hinder progress in service uptake and commodity availability for sustainable Family Planning programmes.
Kano State’s Family Planning Strategic Plan outlines a clear roadmap to scale up family planning services and address existing challenges. The immediate priorities include:
- Strengthening Service Delivery: Expanding access to family planning services in underserved areas and addressing supply chain challenges to ensure consistent contraceptive availability.
- Cultural Engagement: Launching targeted awareness campaigns to dispel misconceptions and working with community and religious leaders as advocates for family planning.
- Capacity Building: Training healthcare workers to improve service quality and tackle the shortage of skilled personnel.
- Monitoring & Evaluation: Establish robust mechanisms to track progress, maintain accountability, and adjust strategies in real-time using accurate data.
Kano’s strategic approach lays the groundwork for improved community engagement. The Community Health Watch initiative, led by Nigeria Health Watch, is tapping into this framework to provide essential insights into the social and cultural barriers that hinder the demand for reproductive health services, particularly in underserved areas of the state.
The plan also incorporates high-impact practices such as postpartum care and the integration of family planning into immunisation services. In addition, it will focus on training providers, including Patent Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs), to extend the reach of these vital services.
Key lessons for adoption by other states
- Collaborative Partnerships: Aligning efforts across sectors and organisations to pool resources and expertise for a greater impact.
- Community Involvement: Engaging communities to foster ownership, build trust, and encourage acceptance of family planning programs.
- Data-driven decisions: Utilising accurate and up-to-date data to guide planning, implementation, and monitoring for sustainable outcomes.
