By Sani Adamu Hassan
The Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board (BSPHCB), in collaboration with the Society for Family Health under the Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC 2.0) project, has commemorated the 2025 World Contraceptive Day with a series of awareness campaigns and free family planning services in 10 health facilities across the state.
Speaking at the event in Bauchi on Friday, the State Family Planning Coordinator, Maryam Mohammed, said the commemoration—celebrated globally on September 26—aims to increase awareness among women of reproductive age and ensure access to safe and free contraceptive services.
She explained that the activities began with a donation of family planning commodities from implementing partners at the Board’s headquarters, followed by a road walk to key health facilities including the Specialist Hospital and Urban Maternity, Bauchi.
According to her, the two-day exercise kicked off on Wednesday with outreach in three facilities in Dass Local Government Area, continued in Bauchi metropolis where four facilities are offering free services, and will extend to Ganjuwa LGA, covering an additional three facilities.
Mohammed further noted that a wide range of contraceptive options—including IUD insertion, implants, injectables, pills, and barrier methods—are available during the exercise, excluding permanent surgical methods.
Also speaking, Joyce Asanato, State Program Officer for Demand Generation at SFH DISC 2.0, highlighted this year’s theme: “A Choice for All: Freedom to Plan, Power to Choose,” stressing the importance of empowering women to make informed decisions about their reproductive health.
She added that the project has enhanced service delivery by training healthcare providers on empathy-based approaches, thereby improving the quality of care and supporting clients in self-injection practices.