This paper aims at describing the evolution of the contraceptive self-reliance policy in Turkey towards a sustainable national family planning program in the wake of phase-out donor assistance. Turkey, after decades-long struggle with considerable donor assistance, has reached a modern CPR of just 38 percent in 1998. It is firmly held that sustaining and expanding the current national family planning program is a must to first avoid a fall back from the achievements to date and then to increase modern CPR to, among others, reduce high unmet need.
The Government of Turkey (GoT) and the United States Agency for Development (USAID) agreed in 1995 that the USAID’s decades-long contraceptive commodity donation to be ceased in a phased manner over a period of five years. The Turkish MoH has since been closely collaborating with the USIAD through mainly its POLICY Project to develop a self-reliance policy in order to ensure the sustainability of its public family planning program.
Development of the policy has involved various interwoven processes. These are (a) awareness raising, (b) development of technical skills and information base, (c) internal and external policy advocacy. As a result, the GoT has committed considerable amounts of funds for contraceptive commodities to fill in the resource gap due to dwindling donor assistance. The MoH has further developed a targeting and cost-recovery strategy to place its financing policy on sustainable footings.
This paper aims at describing the processes involved in the development of the policy and emerging lessons from this experience.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to recognise the processes invloved in and inputs provided to the development of a contraceptive self-reliance policy as a responce to phase-out of donor assistance
Keywords: Family Planning, Policy/Policy Development
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.