There has been an increase in percentage of post-partum women accepting Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) from 8 per cent in 2014-15 to 23 per cent in 2016-17 in project facilities in Odisha.
Over the last two years, the programme through demand generation, trainings, supportive supervision visits and quality assurance has ensured increased access of IUCD services for women in the State.
This fact came to fore in a one-day State level experience sharing workshop on the key learning and way forward under the Jhpiego supported EAISI (Expanding Access to IUCD Services in India) programme held here recently.
Health and Family Welfare Secretary Pramod Kumar Meherda graced the occasion as chief guest. In his key note address, Dr Meherda advised all the stakeholders that for success of any public health programme, a strong review and monitoring mechanism along with extensive engagement with the community is highly important.
He appreciated Jhpiego’s relentless efforts to strengthen family planning services in the State and highlighted the commendable increase of IUCD services in Odisha through the EAISI programme.
The Health and Family Welfare Department launched the EAISI programme with support of Jhpiego (an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, USA) in January 2015.
The 118 sub-district level facilities across 24 districts have been strengthened through a package of Comprehensive IUCD services (including post-partum, post-abortion and interval IUCD insertion and family planning counseling services).
The workshop highlighted successes of the current phase, while discussing steps for roll out in additional 105 facilities across all 30 districts.
Mission Director NHM Odisha Shalini Pandit spoke about the key initiatives for strengthening family planning in Odisha under the National Health Mission.
Citing the recently released National Family Health Survey IV data, Pandit highlighted how concerted efforts along with robust planning have helped Odisha in reducing not only the total fertility rate, but also increasing the prevalence of modern methods of contraception among all eligible couples in the State.
Country Director Jhpiego Bulbul Sood talked about the goals and objectives of the EAISI programme and the key findings from a technical aspect while touching upon various facets of the programme like client follow-up, counseling, data management and commodity management.
Among others present were, Director Family Welfare Dr Binod Kumar Mishra, Joint Director Family Welfare Dr Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Joint Director Technical, NHM Dr Dinabandhu Sahoo along with all nodal officers of the Directorate of Family Welfare and key NHM consultants, Professors and HoDs of OBG from all the three Government medical colleges, Capital Hospital, RGH Rourkela, along with ADMO FWs and Deputy Manager RCHs from all 30 districts.
Selected champion providers of IUCD services, including doctors, nurses and lHVs, who have defied all odds and have been instrumental in increasing uptake of IUCD services in their respective facilities, were felicitated.