Family Planning is not for Population Control but to ensure a Healthy Population ~ Dr Philemon (TCI)

As the drive towards the reduction of misconception to ensure change of mindset toward family planning or child birth spacing, the public have been advised about the misconceptions surrounding the purpose of family planning.

The State Program Coordinator, The-Challenge-Initiative (TCI) Dr Philemon Yohana, made this disclosure on Tuesday 20th April 2021 during a media roundtable organized by the Media for Family Planning Plateau State in Jos. While responding to questions by journalists as to why some people are apprehensive toward child birth spacing , with the notion that it was for the purpose of population control, Dr Phil clarified that the purpose of Family Planning/Child Birth Spacing was to ensure a healthy family, not to control population.

The TCI Coordinator went further to quote provisions of religious books on the need for child birth spacing. He warned journalists on their choice of words and against going out of context of discussion while engaging the public to avoid further misconceptions. He stressed that the concept of Child Birth Spacing or Family Planning was to ensure that the woman had recovered and is strong enough before taking in another pregnancy, stating that the child is also a beneficiary of child spacing, as healthy children will be given birth to.

He gave an instance that if a family decide they wanted fifteen (15) children, Family Planning or Child Birth Spacing advocates that the 15 children be spaced with a two (2) years gap at least.

Media for Family Planning Plateau State is a media advocacy group comprising of trained Journalists passionate about the need for a healthy family.