Family Planning in Asia and the Pacific - International Council on ...

Bounkoung Phichit, Deputy M<strong>in</strong>ister of HealthThe government recognized <strong>the</strong> importance ofstreng<strong>the</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> health sector as a part of its povertyalleviation efforts. The country had taken significantsteps to create sexual <strong>and</strong> reproductive health policy,with an emphasis on reduc<strong>in</strong>g maternal mortalityrates. The M<strong>in</strong>istry of Health established strategiesfocused on family plann<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong> maternal <strong>and</strong> neonatalhealth. Currently, <strong>the</strong> total unmet need was 27 per cent.Community-based programmes were effective tools for<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g knowledge <strong>and</strong> dem<strong>and</strong>. The governmenthad agreed to exp<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> scope of <strong>the</strong> community-basedprogramme, <strong>and</strong> was committed to work with o<strong>the</strong>rcountries <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Asia</strong>-<strong>Pacific</strong> region.Viet Nam byH.E Dr. Nguyen Ba Thuy, Vice-M<strong>in</strong>ister of HealthThe Government of Viet Nam had made a strongcommitment to family plann<strong>in</strong>g through polices <strong>and</strong>legal guidel<strong>in</strong>es. TFR had decl<strong>in</strong>ed rapidly, reach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>replacement level. CPR was 79 per cent <strong>in</strong> 2009 <strong>and</strong>CPR for modern methods had <strong>in</strong>creased. Also, <strong>the</strong>rewas a steady <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> CPR among married couples.Among <strong>the</strong> issues challeng<strong>in</strong>g Viet Nam were a possible<strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> fertility rate; a high imbalance <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> sexratio at birth; <strong>the</strong> needs of <strong>the</strong> ag<strong>in</strong>g population; poorstatus of health <strong>and</strong> well-be<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> population; deliveryof family plann<strong>in</strong>g commodities <strong>and</strong> services; <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>glevels of migration; <strong>and</strong> ris<strong>in</strong>g levels of abortion amongadolescents.Kiribati byH.E. Dr. Kautu Tenaua, M<strong>in</strong>ister of HealthImplementation of <strong>the</strong> family plann<strong>in</strong>g programme <strong>in</strong>Kiribati was challenged by limited contraceptive choice<strong>and</strong> service delivery, as well as strong cultural <strong>and</strong> religiousbarriers to contraceptive use. The government wasexplor<strong>in</strong>g whe<strong>the</strong>r market<strong>in</strong>g could be used differently.The population density was 127 persons per sq kmoverall, yet density varied widely from isl<strong>and</strong> to isl<strong>and</strong>.CPR was 22 per cent; pills <strong>and</strong> implants were <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>contraceptive choices. <strong>Family</strong> plann<strong>in</strong>g was promotedamong mo<strong>the</strong>rs dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> delivery of antenatal <strong>and</strong>post-natal care; nurses were also encouraged to promotefamily plann<strong>in</strong>g. The average household size was 5.6persons <strong>in</strong> rural areas <strong>and</strong> 7.5 <strong>in</strong> urban areas. The averagepopulation growth rate was 1.8 per cent annually. Thetotal population was 92,533 <strong>in</strong> 2005.Solomon Isl<strong>and</strong>s byDr. August<strong>in</strong>e Gasivaka Melly, Medical Officer (MasterTra<strong>in</strong>er <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> National Non-Scalpel VasectomyProgramme), M<strong>in</strong>istry of Health <strong>and</strong> Medical ServicesThe government had addressed family plann<strong>in</strong>g s<strong>in</strong>ce<strong>the</strong> early 1970s through <strong>the</strong> National PopulationPolicy <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> National Population <strong>Council</strong>. Technicaladvisory committees <strong>and</strong> RHCS committees providedadvice on family plann<strong>in</strong>g. <strong>Family</strong> plann<strong>in</strong>g services <strong>and</strong>products were available from all government healthcentres. Fur<strong>the</strong>r, many services were provided by <strong>the</strong><strong>Family</strong> <strong>Plann<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Association, Save <strong>the</strong> Children <strong>and</strong>faith-based organizations. CPR had risen from 11 to 27per cent. Current issues fac<strong>in</strong>g Solomon Isl<strong>and</strong>s <strong>in</strong>cludedsociocultural <strong>and</strong> socio-economic barriers, as well asgender <strong>in</strong>equality. Also, <strong>the</strong>re were unmet needs acrossall age groups <strong>and</strong> ethnic groups. Strategies <strong>in</strong>cludedupdat<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> family plann<strong>in</strong>g manual based on WHOmedical eligibility criteria <strong>and</strong> conduct<strong>in</strong>g outreachwith<strong>in</strong> family health-care strategies. The governmentwas currently draft<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> country’s first reproductivehealth policy, which could play a role <strong>in</strong> revitaliz<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>family plann<strong>in</strong>g programme.Vanuatu byMs. Apisai Tokon, National Reproductive Health/FPCoord<strong>in</strong>ator, M<strong>in</strong>istry of Health ServicesVanuatu had revised its reproductive health policy<strong>and</strong> strategy that called for l<strong>in</strong>ks with <strong>the</strong> educationsector, as well as improved service delivery. A st<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>gparliamentary committee had recently been establishedthat would address <strong>the</strong> previously fragmented approachto family plann<strong>in</strong>g.By <strong>the</strong> mid-2000s, CPR had <strong>in</strong>creased gradually to 28per cent. Key challenges <strong>in</strong>cluded user acceptance due to<strong>the</strong> society be<strong>in</strong>g a male-dom<strong>in</strong>ant one; human resourcesnumbers <strong>and</strong> capacity; <strong>and</strong> government fund<strong>in</strong>g. Keyrecommendations <strong>in</strong>cluded add<strong>in</strong>g a budget l<strong>in</strong>e forRHCS; sensitiz<strong>in</strong>g planners <strong>and</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancers on population<strong>and</strong> development; <strong>and</strong> streng<strong>the</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g male-<strong>in</strong>volvement<strong>in</strong>terventions.SESSION 3: ReproductiveHealth CommoditySecurityModerator:Mr. Jagdish Upadhyay, Chief, Commodity Security Branch,UNFPAThe third session focused on identify<strong>in</strong>g ways to improvereproductive health commodity security. It <strong>in</strong>cluded apresentation on <strong>the</strong> global reproductive health commoditysecurity movement through <strong>the</strong> Reproductive HealthSupplies Coalition, a presentation on experiences from<strong>the</strong> local production of contraceptives <strong>and</strong> reproductive25