Making History in Romania - Romanian Family Health Initiative (RFHI)
Making History in Romania - Romanian Family Health Initiative (RFHI)
Making History in Romania - Romanian Family Health Initiative (RFHI)
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<strong>Romania</strong>n <strong>Family</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Initiative</strong> – Success Story<br />
<strong>Mak<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Romania</strong>: Establishment<br />
of a Contraceptive Logistics System<br />
When a woman visits her family doctor seek<strong>in</strong>g oral contraceptive<br />
pills <strong>in</strong> Poieni, a rural village <strong>in</strong> the Transylvania region of<br />
<strong>Romania</strong>, she should expect to f<strong>in</strong>d them. Not only is her family<br />
doctor now tra<strong>in</strong>ed and capable of giv<strong>in</strong>g contraception, her<br />
expectation is also be<strong>in</strong>g met thanks to the Logistics tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g that<br />
has taken place throughout the country on how to document<br />
contraceptive distribution, orders, storage, and dispens<strong>in</strong>g<br />
protocols.<br />
For the first time <strong>in</strong> <strong>Romania</strong>, the M<strong>in</strong>istry of <strong>Health</strong> has the<br />
capability of determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the need for Free of Charge<br />
contraceptives <strong>in</strong> all 42 districts <strong>in</strong> the country. This is a landmark<br />
step <strong>in</strong> contraceptive procurement and distribution, reach<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
entire country. <strong>RFHI</strong> with SECS (Society for Education on<br />
Contraception and Sexuality), conducted tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gs for <strong>Family</strong><br />
<strong>Health</strong> and <strong>Family</strong> Plann<strong>in</strong>g Physicians. These physicians took<br />
part <strong>in</strong> a one-day tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Logistics, <strong>in</strong> which they learned the<br />
purpose and components of the Contraceptive Logistics System,<br />
their <strong>in</strong>dividual responsibility <strong>in</strong> the Logistics System, how to<br />
correctly complete monthly reports for distribution and orders,<br />
correct storage of contraceptives, and the MOH recipient categories<br />
The Contraceptive Logistics<br />
System is just one success<br />
story of the <strong>Romania</strong>n<br />
<strong>Family</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Initiative</strong><br />
(<strong>RFHI</strong>), a bilateral USAIDfunded<br />
project implemented<br />
by JSI Research & Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
Institute, Inc. The <strong>RFHI</strong> is<br />
designed to <strong>in</strong>crease the<br />
availability and utilization<br />
of high quality clientoriented<br />
services at the<br />
primary health care level<br />
and to assure susta<strong>in</strong>ability<br />
of reproductive health<br />
services <strong>in</strong> <strong>Romania</strong>,<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g family plann<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
safe motherhood, early<br />
detection of breast and<br />
cervical cancer, and<br />
HIV/AIDS and STIs<br />
prevention.<br />
for Free of Charge Contraceptives. To date, more than 900 doctors have been tra<strong>in</strong>ed.<br />
Contraceptives-- <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g condoms, contraceptive pills and progesterone <strong>in</strong>jections -- are<br />
available for free to students, the unemployed, persons receiv<strong>in</strong>g social assistance, women<br />
liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> rural areas, women hav<strong>in</strong>g requested an abortion, and other populations with low<br />
<strong>in</strong>come.<br />
Contraceptives have been available <strong>in</strong> <strong>Romania</strong> s<strong>in</strong>ce<br />
1990. Before 1990, contraception was forbidden and<br />
women relied upon abortion as the primary means of<br />
fertility regulation. Abortion often occurred <strong>in</strong><br />
unsafe conditions, result<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>creased maternal<br />
mortality and morbidity rates. When contraceptives<br />
were <strong>in</strong>troduced after 1990, the governmental system<br />
was organized to make contraceptives available only<br />
from <strong>Family</strong> Plann<strong>in</strong>g Cl<strong>in</strong>ics, which were not easily<br />
Poieni Center Session accessible or affordable for rural populations. In<br />
2001, for the first time, the MOH allocated funds for<br />
contraceptives to be distributed free to poor women. The MOH also receives contraceptive<br />
donations from UNFPA and USAID. The Logistics system provides evidence to donors and<br />
the MOHF so that cost-efficient decisions can be made based on contraceptive demand.<br />
4/19/04<br />
JSI Research and Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
Institute<br />
Intr. Mihai Em<strong>in</strong>escu 5 +40.21–210.0771 Voice<br />
020079 Bucharest 2 +40.21–210.8251 Fax<br />
<strong>Romania</strong> office@jsi.ro E-mail<br />
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<strong>Romania</strong>n <strong>Family</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Initiative</strong> – Success Story<br />
This is an important feature consider<strong>in</strong>g the resource constra<strong>in</strong>ts of the MOH. The Logistics<br />
system also ensures that once procured, contraceptives are available at family health cl<strong>in</strong>ics<br />
and family plann<strong>in</strong>g cl<strong>in</strong>ics throughout the country. The management of the Logistics<br />
system takes place at the District Public <strong>Health</strong> Authority, support<strong>in</strong>g the decentralization of<br />
the <strong>Romania</strong>n health care system.<br />
4/19/04<br />
JSI Research and Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
Institute<br />
Intr. Mihai Em<strong>in</strong>escu 5 +40.21–210.0771 Voice<br />
020079 Bucharest 2 +40.21–210.8251 Fax<br />
<strong>Romania</strong> office@jsi.ro E-mail<br />
2