The First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, has harped on the need for government, development partners, and the private sector to come together and accelerate fertility awareness and treatment in Nigeria

She made this call during her speech at the third Annual Fertility Conference of Parah Family Foundation with the theme, “Bridging the Gap in Fertility,” held in Lagos.

In her address, she commended the giant stride the country has made in terms of reproductive health and fertility through recent advancement in science and technology.

She equally revealed that there were many families still struggling with infertility in the country, due to ignorance and lack of access to the fertility services they require.

“Even families that are relatively stable financially can quickly incur debt because of the long process of trying to have children. I look forward to a time when any family, regardless of their status in society, can access affordable fertility services and a reduction in the burden of the high cost,” she said.

She however encouraged the stakeholders present at the conference to ensure greater participation in combating the challenges surrounding infertility in the country.

In her remarks, the Convener and Founder, Parah Family Foundation, Princess Dayo Odukoya commended the First Lady’s strong support for families facing fertility challenges.

Mrs. Odukoya said the conference will not only encourage but enable more people to make informed decisions while giving hope to those who had given up on becoming a parent.

She also called for a public, private partnership to support the Youth Fertility Awareness Initiative (YFAI) and other awareness programs of the Parah Family Foundation aimed at eradicating the myths surrounding fertility.

According to her, the YFAI campaign will combat the epidemic of infertility early through a comprehensive approach that eradicates ignorance and creates awareness for youths especially in secondary schools and higher institutions.

“Life mistakes can be avoided when you are properly guided in the right path from the beginning. There is a need to be educated on fertility issues that may arise in future by taking care of today and making necessary operations towards the future,” she added.

Culled from ThisDay