By Sandra Kenneth
In a bid to enhance maternal and child health care, the Kwara State Government has launched an electronic warehouse management system designed to streamline the monitoring and distribution of family planning commodities across health facilities statewide.
The Commissioner for Health, Amina El-Imam, announced the initiative on Friday in Ilorin during a stakeholders’ meeting commemorating the 2026 World Contraception Day. The event, themed “A Choice for All,” brought together traditional rulers, medical practitioners, academics, religious leaders, and civil society organisations.
According to a statement issued by the ministry’s Press Secretary, Saad Hamdalat, El-Imam emphasized that the digital upgrade is crucial for expanding access to quality reproductive health services, keeping them affordable and accessible while safeguarding the privacy and dignity of residents.
“Family planning remains critical to promoting healthy birth spacing, reducing preventable maternal and infant complications, and enabling individuals and couples to make informed decisions about their reproductive health,” El-Imam stated. She added that achieving these targets demands sustained collaboration between the government, development partners, healthcare workers, and community leaders.
Expanding Access and Stock Visibility
Providing operational details on the rollout, the Ministry’s Family Planning Coordinator, Bashirat Jatto, noted that health workers are currently undergoing specialized training on the newly introduced hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) to broaden available contraceptive options.
Jatto explained that the electronic warehouse management system has drastically improved stock visibility and consumption data tracking. This technological shift empowers health officials to make precise inventory decisions, preventing shortages and ensuring rapid responses to facility supply needs.
UNFPA Commends State Commitment
Speaking on behalf of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Homsuk Swomen lauded the Kwara State Government for its dedication to commodity security. He reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to tackling reproductive health barriers, particularly among adolescents and young people.
Swomen highlighted UNFPA’s Match Funding initiative, under which the organization matches state financial commitments toward family planning commodities with an equivalent supply, and urged the government to sustain its momentum.
Concluding the event, El-Imam urged traditional and religious leaders to actively support accurate health education and foster constructive community conversations around reproductive healthcare, while praising frontline healthcare workers and development partners for their unwavering dedication.
