Beyond commodities and consumables: The essentiality of partnership between LGA Health

Educators and Service Providers for optimal service uptake in Ogun State

Olubunmi Ojelade, Adebusola Oyeyemiand Olumide Adefioye

Background• State Population 5, 328,327

(3.3% growth rate)• WRA 22% – 1,172,232• Pregnant women 5% –

266,416• Tertiary Hospitals – 3• Secondary facilities – 29• PHCs - 477• MMR – 179/100,000 live births

(NDHS 2013)• Total Fertility rate: 4.5 (MICS

5)• Unmet need-

Opportunities • Adoption and practice of Task Sharing/Shifting Policy

in the State• Availability of Family Planning Costed Implementation

Plan in the State• Availability of budget line for Family Planning in the

State Budget• Pool of masters trainers on LARC in the State - 23• High number of FP service providers in the State – 154

CHEWs, 90 Nurse/Midwives• Strong political will of the State Government• Availability of Partners on FP

YetCPR 26%

(NDHS 2013)

5

The Challenge

Service Delivery Centred Focus

Service User Centred FocusVS

Bridging the Gap

through

Effective Communication

Therefore

Ogun State involved Health Educators in its FP programming to:

• Advocate for enabling environment for FP uptake at grassroots level

• Address FP communication needs of community members at grassroots level

• Coordinate community social mobilisation activities

With the aim of increasing demand for FP uptake

Methodology

Training of Health Educators on • Family Planning• Social Behaviour Change Communication • Social mobilization • Managing linkages• Roles and responsibilities of HEs in demand

generation for FP. • Monitoring of completed FP referrals • Report writing

Results

Within a 3-month period (August-October)LGA HEs with Reproductive Health coordinators • Identified and trained (121) community volunteers as

social mobilizers• Conducted 26 neighbourhood campaigns • Conducted 23 community dialogues • Ensured readiness of health facilities for FP service

delivery• Monitor data on uptake of FP methods by tracking

completed referral

Increased number of people that have access to accurate FP information over 23,000 reached, 2,624 referred, 964 completed referral

Conclusion

Inclusion of HEs in FP programming has createdforum for wider reach and encouraged properintegration of FP services into other healthservices in the communities and service deliverypoints.

Thank you!