Ogun To Scale Up ASRH To Other LGAs

ABEOKUTA – The Adolescent 360 (A360) Naija Girls Project in Ogun State, being implemented in Abeokuta South and Ado-Odo/Ota Local Governments will be scaled up to other Local Government Areas in the State, by adapting the developed plan to its Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) Strategic Plan.

The Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola, stated this at the close-out meeting of the A360 Project, organised by the Board, in collaboration with the Society for Family Health (SFH), at the Green Legacy Resort, Abeokuta, saying government would make adaptations towards improving the effectiveness of the intervention, while focusing on its continuation.

Dr. Ogunsola said the State had drawn up a road map for ASRH through a strategic plan, noting that lessons learnt over the three-year period would assist in improving the welfare of the young girls.

He enjoined beneficiaries of the Project to make maximum use of the skills acquired to improve themselves and reach out to other girls, as well as boys in their various communities, to embrace the laudable intervention aimed at improving their sexual and reproductive health needs.

In her remark, the Director, Primary Health Care, Dr. Salimat Sanni said the scale up would create an enabling environment for economic empowerment through skill acquisition, adding that it would also focus on engaging the male child.

She further hinted that the A360 intervention would be integrated into the government health system, adding that government would invest in research for the adoption and replication of the Project across the State.

In her contribution, the A360 Project Monitoring and Evaluation Lead, Mrs. Adejumoke Oluwayinka called on government to take ownership of the project, saying its focus on teenage girls of ages 15-19 years had enable them to access sexual and reproductive health services.

Speaking on behalf of other beneficiaries, Reign Benedict and Olusesi Oluwatofunmi, appreciated Government and SFH for the opportunity given them to be self-reliant through skill acquisition, such as fashion designing,  make-up artistry, soap and bead making, among others.