Sightsavers Nigeria has called for inclusive sexual health and improved access to family planning services for people with disabilities (PWDs).

Joy Tarbo, spokeswoman for Sightsavers, made the call in a statement to commemorate the World Contraception Day celebrated every September 26.

Sightsavers said, “They also face significant barriers with regards to free and informed choice and experience a higher risk of forced and coerced sterilisation and contraception.”

Joy Shu’aibu, Sightsavers’ programme operations director in Nigeria, while calling for improved healthcare services, decried stigmatisation and poor access to sexual and reproductive health services for PWDs.

“We are using World Contraception Day to highlight the need for sexual and reproductive health services to be inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities,” said Ms Shu’aibu.

She noted that sexual and reproductive health and rights “are basic human rights. They are not only an integral part of the right to health but are also necessary to enjoy the rights to life, information and freedom from discrimination,” stressing that everyone should have access to safe, informed healthcare services without barriers, “but sadly this is still not the case.”

Nafisa Musa Isa, the family planning coordinator at the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board, stated, “It is important that PWDs are not left behind in healthcare. If we neglect them, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be almost impossible.”

Ms Isa added, “They have the right to access information and services needed to support their choices and optimise health, the right to decide the number and spacing of their children, the right to consent to marriage and equality in marriage.”

(NAN)