Family Planning in Asia and the Pacific - International Council on ...
Family Planning in Asia and the Pacific - International Council on ...
Family Planning in Asia and the Pacific - International Council on ...
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udgets, supplemented by d<strong>on</strong>or fund<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g – particularly <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>Papua New Gu<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ea where <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> HIV epidemic has reacheda serious level (Hayes, 2007).L<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>kages to o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r reproductivehealth issuesHIV <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r sexually transmitted<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>fecti<strong>on</strong>sAs <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> many o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r parts of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> world, a large proporti<strong>on</strong>of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> populati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Pacific</str<strong>on</strong>g> will never come <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>toc<strong>on</strong>tact with HIV or o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r STI health services, despitesignificant numbers of people be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g at risk of STIs due to<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir practice of unsafe sex. Self-referral for STIs or HIVrema<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s relatively uncomm<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> is usually restricted tosymptomatic <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dividuals – however many cases of STI <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>deed <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> early stages of HIV rema<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> asymptomatic. Thispoor uptake of HIV/STI services rema<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s problematic,facilitat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r transmissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> caus<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g significantimpacts <strong>on</strong> reproductive health – such as via ne<strong>on</strong>ataltransmissi<strong>on</strong>, reproductive system symptoms, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>fertility<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r STI-related morbidities. As such, l<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>kagesbetween HIV, family plann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> broader sexual <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>reproductive health services provide multiple benefits ofexp<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed coverage of HIV/STI care, reduced HIV/STIrelatedmorbidity <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> mortality <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> improved reproductivehealth outcomes.It is thus relevant <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> advantageous to offer HIV- <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r STI-related care <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> reproductive health sett<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs,such as family plann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g services. Specific promoti<strong>on</strong> ofc<strong>on</strong>doms with<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> family plann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>ly currentlyeffective barrier c<strong>on</strong>traceptive, also gives fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r uniqueadvantages – dual protecti<strong>on</strong> (aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st both unplannedpregnancy <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> HIV/STIs), <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> reduced side effects ofa s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gle-use c<strong>on</strong>traceptive that is required <strong>on</strong>ly dur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>sex act itself. L<strong>on</strong>g-act<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g c<strong>on</strong>traceptives have undesirableside effects for many people. Such c<strong>on</strong>traceptives have toc<strong>on</strong>t<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ue to be taken by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> user even dur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g periods ofsexual <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>activity.A c<strong>on</strong>verse benefit occurs where people liv<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g with HIVor o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r STIs are provided with effective family plann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gadvice. As part of comprehensive preventi<strong>on</strong> of parent–tochildtransmissi<strong>on</strong> (PPTCT), it is imperative that peopleliv<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g with HIV are provided with c<strong>on</strong>tracepti<strong>on</strong> to ensurethat any result<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g pregnancy is planned <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> preparedfor <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir health-care providers.C<strong>on</strong>traceptive advice is thus a core part of comprehensiveHIV care (pr<strong>on</strong>g 2 of PPTCT). The presentati<strong>on</strong> ofpers<strong>on</strong>s to family plann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g cl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ics is also a good opportunityto promote HIV test<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, referr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g pers<strong>on</strong>s diagnosed withHIV for follow-up <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> management, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> counsell<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gpers<strong>on</strong>s found to be free of HIV <strong>on</strong> how to stay HIVnegative <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> reduce risks of future <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>fecti<strong>on</strong> (pr<strong>on</strong>g 1 ofPPTCT).Barriers to l<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>kages of HIV with family plann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r sexual <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> reproductive health services do exist,however. Often <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se services are set up <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a very verticalmanner with separate fund<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g streams <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> health-carestaff – sometimes <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> different localities. Time c<strong>on</strong>stra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ts<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> cl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ic layouts that are not user-friendly can alsoh<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>der delivery of HIV/STI counsell<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> familyplann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g sett<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs. There can be (spurious) ownershipissues between staff over which cl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ic is go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to providewhich services – <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> reality <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re is noth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g stopp<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g bothHIV <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> family plann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g services from provid<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g carefor both needs. Sometimes, family plann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g cl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ic staffare not completely familiar or comfortable with rais<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gHIV <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> STI issues, preferr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to limit <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir guidance topurely c<strong>on</strong>traceptive matters. This is a missed opportunity.At <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> community level, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> paucity of sex educati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>stigmatiz<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g attitudes towards HIV <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r STIs createan unsupportive envir<strong>on</strong>ment which fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r reduces <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>chance of HIV <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> STI care be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g ei<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r sought out oreffectively delivered.Some good examples of fully <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tegrated adolescent sexual<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> reproductive health services exist, where <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se “<strong>on</strong>estopshops” furnish a comprehensive range of sexual <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g>reproductive health, HIV/STI, drug <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> adolescentcounsell<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> awareness, toge<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r with HIV/STIdiagnosis <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> treatment (or at least referral for treatmentif required). These adolescent sexual <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> reproductivehealth services take full advantage of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> opportunityaris<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g from a young pers<strong>on</strong> attend<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> order to ensurea holistic approach to sexual <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> reproductive health care,<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clud<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g both pregnancy <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> disease-preventi<strong>on</strong> advice<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> services. Broader reproductive health services, such as<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>stream family plann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g cl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ics with<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> outpatientcl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ics, would significantly benefit from a similar <strong>on</strong>e-stopshopapproach. When develop<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g primary health-careservices, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re is a need to tra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> promote delivery ofcomprehensive sexual <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> reproductive health care by publichealth centre staff, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clud<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g comb<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed family plann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> HIV/STI advice <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> treatment for patients.Strategies for streng<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g nati<strong>on</strong>al capacity to identify<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> implement l<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>kages for sexual <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> reproductive health<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> HIV are currently be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g developed <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> FederatedStates of Micr<strong>on</strong>esia <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> Vanuatu. These <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clude pre- <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>-service tra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> family plann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> HIV counsell<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> test<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.95