Stockouts, provider bias deny women access to contraceptives -- Experts

 ... Jagun, Azege, Shokunbi urge journalists to expose barriers

Mrs. Yinka Shokunbi

Mrs. Alu Azege

Dr Moriam Jagun

By Admin

Nigeria’s contraceptive shelves may be stocked, but many women and girls still cannot obtain or freely use family planning services because of cost, stockouts, provider bias, stigma, misinformation and other barriers, reproductive health stakeholders have warned.

The Executive Director, Centre for Bridging Health Gaps, Dr. Moriam Jagun, said Nigeria must stop equating the availability of contraceptive commodities with genuine access, urging journalists to investigate the barriers preventing women and young people from making informed reproductive choices.

Addressing members of the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria (NRHJN) during a forum to mark the 2026 World Contraception Day, held under the theme, “No Barriers, Just Choices: Contraceptive Access Now!”, Jagun said access went beyond having contraceptives physically available.

“Contraceptive availability is not the same as access, which has several dimensions, including financial, physical, social, cultural, religious and informational accessibility. We can have contraceptives in the country, or even sitting on the shelf in a facility, and still not have true access.”

Jagun identified provider bias as another major barrier, particularly when healthcare workers allow personal beliefs and values to influence the care they provide.

“The message to providers should be to inform and support, not make the decision for the client. Success is not simply how many women accept contraception. We should ask whether she was informed, had options, chose freely and can change or discontinue the method if she wishes,” she said.

She warned that national figures could mask inequalities affecting rural women, adolescents, women with disabilities and other underserved groups.

“Universal access will not happen accidentally, we have to deliberately design services for those most likely to be left behind,” she said.

Supporting the call for greater scrutiny, the Executive Director of the Media Health and Rights Initiative of Nigeria, Mrs. Alu Azege, described Nigeria’s contraceptive challenge as a delivery problem, not a demand problem.

Azege who urged journalists to investigate stockouts, funding, procurement and provider practices instead of simply reporting official policies and programmes, said “Nigeria’s unmet need is not a demand problem. Nigerians need it, we are demanding it. It’s a delivery problem. Access isn’t delivered just by hashtags, it’s delivered by procurement budgets and providers doing their jobs, and also exposed when they don’t.”

She challenged journalists to investigate whether pregnancies are planned and wanted, arguing that unintended pregnancies should prompt questions about gaps in the health system.

“Intention is what turns childbearing from a risk into a choice. Ask three basic questions: The method I want, is it in stock? Is it affordable? Is it from a provider who serves instead of lectures?”

Earlier, the President of the NRHJN, Mrs Oluyinka Shokunbi, said Nigerian women and girls needed unhindered access to contraceptive choices, warning that cultural, religious and information barriers continued to limit their ability to decide if, when and how often to have children.

“More than ever before, Nigerian women need the power to make contraceptive choices, and they need it now,” she said, noting that the falling age of sexual debut had increased the urgency of providing young people with accurate sexual and reproductive health information, particularly as many parents remained reluctant to discuss sexuality with their children.

She expressed concern that contraceptive access is critical not only for preventing unintended pregnancies but also for improving health and advancing gender equality by enabling women and girls to pursue education, careers and wider participation in society.

Robot gets living human skin that wrinkles and heals

By Admin

Scientists have taken robotics a startling step closer to the human body after growing living human skin on a working robotic finger, creating a machine covering that stretches, bends and even develops wrinkles as the robot moves.

The breakthrough, achieved by researchers at the University of Tokyo, involved growing skin from human cells directly on a robotic finger. The cells formed layered tissue resembling natural human skin, including the dermis and outer epidermis.

The study, “Living skin on a robot,” was published in “Matter”. As the robotic finger bent and stretched, the living skin moved with it and developed natural-looking wrinkles around the joints, mimicking the behaviour of human skin. The researchers then tested whether the tissue could respond to injury.

After making a small cut in the artificial skin, they applied a collagen-based bandage. The living cells gradually repaired the wound, with the researchers reporting substantial healing over about a week.

The experiment points to a potentially new direction for robotics, in which machines could eventually be covered with living tissue rather than conventional synthetic materials.

The researchers' work could have implications for the development of more lifelike robots, advanced prosthetic devices and machines designed to interact more naturally with humans.

However, scientists say the technology remains far from producing a fully functioning human-like robotic body. One of the major challenges is keeping the living tissue alive. Unlike synthetic robot coverings, the cultured skin requires a moist environment to survive.

The University of Tokyo researchers' achievement nevertheless demonstrates that living human tissue can be integrated with a moving robotic structure and respond mechanically to movement and injury.

The development raises a striking possibility: future robots may not be covered entirely in plastic, rubber or metal. Some could carry living tissue capable of moving, changing and healing.

Fibroid Care Centre @Nordica hits 1,000 successful HIFU treatments milestone

By Admin

The Fibroid Care Centre (FCC) at Nordica, has performed its 1,000th successful High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound, HIFU, treatment for fibroids and adenomyosis, reaching the milestone five years after the centre began offering the procedure, marking a significant development in the use of focused ultrasound technology for fibroid care in Nigeria.

The 1,000th milestone was attained against the backdrop of the burden of uterine fibroids among Nigerian women and interest among  patients in treatment options that may avoid or reduce the need for invasive surgery where medically appropriate.

In a statement, the FCC, which is West Africa's first specialist centre for the non-invasive and minimally invasive treatment of uterine fibroids and adenomyosis, described fibroids as common non-cancerous growths in or around the uterus that can cause heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, pressure and abdominal enlargement. 

“For women with symptomatic fibroids, surgery remains an established treatment option, but some patients seek alternatives that do not involve a surgical incision.;That search for alternatives is reflected in the experiences of some women treated at the centre,” the Centre noted.

 

One patient who pleaded anonymity, said her recovery had brought noticeable changes to her menstrual cycle, with her bleeding reducing to five days and the blood clots and discomfort she previously experienced disappearing.

“My healing process has been good, noticeable changes in my body and monthly cycle. My bleeding has reduced drastically to five days, no discomfort or blood clotting, swelling has reduced. I can sleep on my tummy now. I feel good now,” she said, noting that she plans to undergo a follow-up scan to assess the status of her fibroid.

Another woman referred to the centre from Equatorial Guinea was also reported to have experienced relief after treatment. Her referee said the patient had initially needed reassurance about the treatment but later reported being regularly pain-free.

“I'm reaching out to thank you and your team for the excellent care provided to the patient and friend in Equatorial Guinea that I recommended your practice to, and for meeting with her to allay her fears and concerns. The last I heard from her, she mentioned that post-surgery, she has been regularly pain free. She sends her sincere thanks to you.”

According to the Centre, the 1,000-treatment milestone reflects its investment in HIFU technology and the development of local expertise even as the patient experiences highlight the expanding range of approaches available to women living with fibroids. 

“HIFU uses focused ultrasound energy to target and destroy fibroid tissue without a surgical incision. It is not suitable for every patient, with eligibility depending on factors including the size, number, location and accessibility of the fibroids, as well as the patient's overall health and treatment goals.

“For appropriately selected patients, HIFU can provide a non-incisional treatment option. However, outcomes vary, symptoms can persist or recur, and some patients may require additional treatment or follow-up.

Fibroids are non-cancerous growths in or around the uterus and can cause heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, pressure and abdominal enlargement. Treatment options vary according to the characteristics of the fibroids and the individual patient's circumstances.

The 1,000-treatment milestone is being marked at a forum where medical professionals and former patients are expected to discuss HIFU and its place among the treatment options available for women with fibroids and adenomyosis.