The Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) vows to further dedicate itself in promoting healthcare services as it celebrates 25 years of existence.
The president of the Association, Professor Oladapo Ladipo made this known yesterday at a press conference organised to celebrate this year, the existence of the association.
According to him, ARFH will be 25 years old today, Saturday, November 1st 2014, as a leading indigenous non-governmental and not-for-profit organization in Nigeria that has committed at improving quality of lives of individual and families through promoting increased access to quality health information and services.
Prof. Ladipo informed that ARFH is an outcome of a unique partnership and shared vision between him and his vice president, Mrs. Grace Delano, a veteran Nurse and midwife as a result of their professional interactions at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.
He maintained that what informed the emergence of ARFH as an organization is an observed failure of healthcare system in the country, unequitable distribution of health workers, increasing high risk behaviour and associated unacceptable mortality and morbidity.
The Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology with experience spanning 40 years in healthcare delivery said the organization has expanded its area of focus to comprehensive sexual reproduction and reproductive health programs and services for adult and young people.
He added that from 2004, ARFH became a big player in areas of HIV & AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis control saying as a principal and sub-recipients of Global Fund grants in Nigeria with superlative performance that is internationally recognized, ARFH has positioned itself to complement national and state level responses to public health challenges, working with strategic partners to contribute to the achievement of national health goals as well as Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).
He further disclosed that the bedrock of ARFH approach is behaviour change communication of informing, promoting and mobilising individuals to adopt social behaviours and practices that reduce their vulnerability to diseases and to access services that mitigate both the social and economic impact of diseases on individuals, families and communities.
The professor said through the programs and services, ARFH has provided educational and health support services to ophans and vulnerable children and people living with HIV/AIDS.
