Recorded presentation

Varuni Dayaratna¹, Patricia Taylor², and Nora Quesada². (1) Planning and Finance, The POLICY Project, Futures Group, 1050 17th Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20036, 202-775-9680, v.dayaratna@tfgi.com, (2) John Snow Inc, 1616 N. Fort Meyer Drive, 11th Floor, Arlington, VA 22209

In the 1990s, USAID started phasing out donated contraceptives in LAC. Today, donor funding for contraceptives in the region is decreasing due to competing demands on scarce resources, even while the numbers of women of reproductive age and their demand for contraceptives are increasing. Consequently, many of the remaining LAC countries with USAID-supported family planning programs are exploring options for achieving contraceptive security (CS). A first step in this process is identifying the main challenges and opportunities that these countries face vis-à-vis CS. The LAC Regional Contraceptive Security Initiative was designed and implemented to bring stakeholders together to identify priority challenges in the region, and develop both country-level and regional recommendations to address these challenges. A workshop brought together over 80 representatives from Ministries of Health, social security institutes, NGOs, social marketing programs, the commercial sector, and donor agencies from 13 countries to reach consensus on the importance of CS in the region, and the main challenges these countries face. Workshop results served as a foundation for in-depth situation analyses in Peru, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Paraguay. Country assessments were organized around a comprehensive conceptual framework for CS. Multisectoral steering committees in each country reviewed results and helped formulate recommendations. This presentation will compare, contrast, and draw parallels among challenges that different LAC countries face in financing and procurement, logistics, policy, leadership, coordination, and private sector involvement as they strive to achieve CS. It will also present recommendations to address these challenges, some of which are already being implemented in countries.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this session, participants will have a good understanding of the complex challenges that countries in Latin America and the Caribbean confront as they strive to achieve contraceptive security in the face of imminent donor phaseout. Participants will also learn about feasible interventions to address these challenges, many of which are currently under discussion or being implemented.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employment

Recorded presentation