185836 Provision of FP services in Nomadic Communities

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Mike Egboh, Mr , International Health Division, Abt Associates, Bethesda, MD
Background

Pastoralists' communities in Nigeria are semi-sedentary livestock breeders in remote areas with very poor infrastructure & inadequate health services. High incidences of unplanned pregnancies due to lack of RH/FP services. Communities live in isolated rural areas with poor road networks, facing severe difficulties in accessing health care services at affordable costs due to transportation constraints.

Methodology

Baseline assessment in 2 pastoralist communities

Collaborated with CBO - Pastoral Resolve (PARE)

Capacity of PARE staff built in project management.

Intensive advocacy to policy makers & traditional rulers

Sensitized community members

Recruited & trained 20 PHE, 20 TBAs & 5 CHEWs on FP service, post abortion care, counseling & supervisory skills

Supplied FP equipment & commodities to providers & SDP.

Results:

Community donated land to government for clinic construction

Community renovated a dilapidated building for RH & FP services

10,057 new users & 12,651 revisits reached with FP services generated CYP of 3,209.

Advocacy to 36,800 people and 13,800 youths; 3,850 IEC materials distributed

Trained local health workers operated patent medicine stores to serve as FP service delivery points .

Project provided transport for the community health workers which increased access to inaccesible areas.

Challenges

Low number requesting FP services.

Difficulties in accessing the communities slowed down project implementation.

Community members predominantly farmers.

Pastoralists lacked qualified personnel

Trained health workers unwilling to serve in remote areas.

Conclusion

FP interventions can be successful in hard to reach nomadic communities through partnership, supportive monitoring & continual advocacy at all levels.

Learning Objectives:
Recognise the need for RH services among special populations Articulate the process of design, implementation & monitoring of an FP project in patoralist community Discuss borders and bariers in FP service among hard to reach communities Analyse and compare the startegy used with similar interventions

Keywords: Family Planning, Community

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: MPH Harvard university Country Representative of Pathfinder International with over 25 years experience in providing Family planning, Reproductive Health, Management and Leadership in Nigeria and Sub Saharan Africa
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Reproductive Health and Family Planning in Diverse Populations
See more of: Population, Family Planning, and Reproductive Health