Improving access to Family Planning products for low-income Youth in urban settings in North India

There is a significant unmet need for reproductive health among youth in Uttar Pradesh, India. Since Indigenous Systems of Medicine Practitioners (traditional doctors) are the main healthcare providers for urban, low-income families, 1,200 of these providers were identified and trained along with retail pharmacists and Ob/Gyn specialists in a network of private providers in seven towns under USAIDs Saathiya Youth-friendly Program. Initial formative research informed that although pharmacists offer good physical access for contraceptives, traditional doctors enjoyed higher credibility and acceptance of youth with private and confidential services. However, 80% of these doctors did not stock and dispense contraceptives and were not visited by pharmaceutical companies making product supply a greater challenge. A quantitative study was conducted in December '10 amongst network ISMPs across seven towns (ranging in population size from .2 to 2.5 million) to understand the current contraceptive stocking behavior and motives and barriers to stock in future. Out of the 1,072 ISMP doctors contacted, 353 (33%) were intenders (currently stocking or intending to stock in future) while 718 (67%) were non-intenders. With the objective of increasing access to contraceptive products through the network and enhancing its commercial viability, the program identified potential mechanisms to bridge this supply gap. Pilot testing of this approach began in Jul 2011), and is continuing in five out of seven program towns identified. As a result of this pilot, 248 of the 295 network providers approached till January '12 have begun stocking condoms/oral pills/emergency contraceptive and product marketers are supporting the effort.