Family planning implementation teams: Building sustainable community ownership in rural Uganda
Elements: Strong leadership and good management, Communication and outreach strategies, Supportive government policies, Client-centered care, About this project, Big picture
Region: Africa
Year: 2008
Author:Joan Patterson and Minnesota International Health Volunteers
Minnesota International Health Volunteers (MIHV) is improving family planning knowledge, access, and use in Ssembabule and Mubende, two rural districts of central Uganda. MIHV's Uganda Child Spacing Program (UCSP, 2006-2009) is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and supported by the Uganda Ministry of Health.
The UCSP uses a community-based strategy to increase demand for family planning services and to increase supply of family planning methods to women and men who choose to use them. A critical component to this strategy is the Family Planning Im plementation Team (FPIT), established in both districts to facilitate and coordinate MIHV's community-based work.
The purpose of this case study is to describe how the Family Planning Implementation Teams have contributed to the successful implementation of the UCSP. The document also briefly highlights the FPIT members and how they work together, as well as the challenges of using FPITs. It closes with a handful of lessons that MIHV has learned which may be useful to other groups that are implementing community based family planning programs.
