Aid in Action

Reproductive Health and Family Planning

 | Monday, March 31, 2008

New Approaches:

Men as Partners Program for truck drivers:  Long distance truck drivers have special health needs.  They leave their homes and travel along the highways usually staying in hostels or lodges at truck stops along the road.  This mobile lifestyle means that some have multiple sex partners, a behavior that puts them at risk for getting and spreading sexually transmitted and other infectious diseases. The Men as Partners Program has been used with men in a variety of settings.   The program has two goals: to improve men’s sexual and reproductive health and to promote the constructive role that men can play in addressing GBV, HIV and AIDS, maternal care, and family planning in their families and communities. This program was adapted for mobile truck drivers and provided to them at the large truck stops where they usually stay for several days.  In addition, follow-up activities at the truck stops have been well attended.

OB/GYN advocating for FP:  Access to family planning services is a fundamental sexual and reproductive right which not only improves the quality of life of all people but also promotes maternal and child survival. However, the attention given to family planning in East and Central Africa over that past two decades has for various reasons diminished. It is imperative therefore that the focus of governments, health departments, programs, health facilities and communities be redirected towards family planning not only as a health issue but also as a development issue. This combination of factors prompted the Regional Centre for Quality of Health Care to hold, in conjunction with respective country Obstetrical and Gynecological associations, a series of discussions in the region.  These workshops will improve the quality of care for reproductive health services, and also identify the major gaps that must be addressed in order to reposition and strengthen family planning in the region.

Fistula care for nurses:  In most communities, fistula occurs rarely and so nurses may see only one or two women with fistula in a year.  Nurses, do, however, need to be able to handle these cases so that they can prevent infection and further tearing.  In addition, nurses must be able to explain the surgical procedure needed and tell women where to go for repair and counseling.  Therefore fistula care needs to be included in both pre-service and in-service nursing education.

Introduction of cervical cancer into RH.    It is estimated that of the 500,000 incident cases of cervical cancer that occur worldwide each year, 80% of the cases and the deaths occur in resource poor countries. Women who are HIV+ develop cervical cancer earlier than other women and they develop a more virulent form of the disease.  Many deaths can be prevented by introducing a visual scan for cervical cancer into routine RH services.  Lesions take as long as 10 years to develop and can be treated when first seen.  Middle level health professionals are being trained to recognize lesions with the naked eye and without expensive equipment, thus identifying women who need referral and treatment.

Training and Future Meetings:

 

Contact Person:

Ann McCauley
Email: amccauley@usaid.gov