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Author: Population Services International (PSI)


Scaling self-injection across sectors in Malawi

Lessons learned from training and support for health workers in the public and private sectors

Malawi has made significant progress in scaling up DMPA-SC and self-injection in the public sector with 100% of service delivery points activated. The country has also learned valuable lessons through private sector pilots and is in the process of finalizing new guidelines to authorize pharmacies and drugstores to provide self-injection training to clients. The country’s approach is widely appreciated as an example of effective government-led and partner-supported scale-up involving both the public and private sector.

This webinar hosted by the PATH-JSI DMPA-SC Access Collaborative Learning and Action Network on August 3, 2022 featured public and private partners’ insights on national scale-up of DMPA-SC and self-injection, with a focus on provider training and supportive supervision as well as strong cross-sectoral partnerships. Speakers included representatives from the Malawi Ministry of Health Reproductive Health Directorate, Clinton Health Access Initiative, FHI 360, and Population Services International.

Drawing from program data and research, panelists discussed practical lessons learned from Malawi’s national scale-up of public-sector provider training, public provider reflections on integrating self-injection, and experiences from a private sector provider training pilot. These lessons may benefit governments and public and private partners in other contexts who are in the process of introducing or scaling up DMPA-SC for self-injection.

Institutional author(s): PATH, JSI, Malawi Ministry of Health, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), FHI 360, Population Services International (PSI)
Publication date: August, 2022

Introducing new self-care family planning methods: Lessons from DMPA-SC and the Caya diaphragm

This webinar held on February 23, 2022 was hosted by Expanding Effective Contraceptive Options (EECO) led by WCG Cares with PSI and the DMPA-SC Access Collaborative led by PATH in partnership with JSI. The discussion focused on the introduction and scale up of self-care family planning methods in sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting lessons and best practices from DMPA-SC scale-up and Caya® diaphragm pilot introductions in French-speaking West Africa. Presenters from Benin, Niger, and Senegal shared successes and challenges. This webinar was offered in French.

Institutional author(s): PATH, JSI, Population Services International (PSI), Association Béninoise pour le Marketing Social et la Communication pour la Santé, Expanding Effective Contraceptive Options
Publication date: February, 2022

Forecasting Guide for New and Underutilized Methods of Family Planning

This guide provides direction to programs that want to forecast for new and underused methods (NUMs) of family planning. It supports program managers and others involved in forecasting as they plan to introduce a contraceptive technology for the first time in a country and/or position an underused method for scale-up.

Institutional author(s): Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown University, JSI, Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (RHSC), Population Services International (PSI)
Publication date: June, 2012

Guide Web page

Contraceptive Innovation Index

To facilitate decision-making around the introduction and scale-up of contraceptive technologies, the Expanding Effective Contraceptive Options (EECO) project, led by WCG Cares in partnership with PSI, and USAID’s Center for Innovation and Impact teamed up to create the Contraceptive Innovation Index. On January 25, 2023, EECO and USAID hosted a webinar on the development and use of this tool; the webinar slides and recording are linked below.

Institutional author(s): Expanding Effective Contraceptive Options, USAID, Population Services International (PSI), WCG Cares
Publication date: 2023

Insight synthesis report on DMPA-SC self-injection

Insights gained through evidence-based design

This report distills more than a year of programmatic research findings, looking at self-injection from a user journey perspective to analyze what drives consumer and provider decisions and attitudes. It reflects the unique perspectives of DMPA-SC self-injection early adopters and prospective users across Uganda and Nigeria. The report outlines how women perceive their own power, what makes self-injection convenient for them, who they trust as partners in their de-medicalized contraceptive experience, and more.

Institutional author(s): Population Services International (PSI)
Publication date: September, 2021

Counseling for Choice

Counseling for Choice (C4C) is an evidence-based approach to contraceptive counseling that supports clients to decide which method is right for them. By addressing many of the root causes of unmet need for contraception and discontinuation, C4C aims to change how providers and clients participate in voluntary family planning (FP) counseling discussions. The approach comprises a thorough training in C4C techniques and the use of the Choice Book for Providers, a job aid and visual tool providers use with clients during counseling sessions.

Institutional author(s): Population Services International (PSI)
Publication date: 2021

Guide Counseling for Choice website

Association Between the Quality of Contraceptive Counseling and Method Continuation: Findings From a Prospective Cohort Study in Social Franchise Clinics in Pakistan and Uganda

Quality of family planning counseling is likely associated with whether or not women continue to use the same contraceptive method over time. The Method Information Index (MII) is a widely available measure of contraceptive counseling quality but little is known about its association with rates of method continuation. Using data from a prospective cohort study of 1,998 social franchise clients in Pakistan and Uganda, we investigated the relationship between reported baseline MII and the risk of method continuation over 12 months using survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard models. Higher scores on the 3-question Method Information Index (MII)—measuring client-reported receipt of contraceptive information—was associated with continued use of family planning over 12 months. We recommend incorporating use of the MII in routine assessments of family planning service quality.

Global Health: Science and Practice. March 2019, 7(1):87-102. https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-18-00407

 

Institutional author(s): Metrics for Management, Population Council, Wilfrid Laurier University, Population Services International (PSI), MSI Reproductive Choices, Makerere University
Individual author(s): Nirali M. Chakraborty, Karen Chang, Benjamin Bellows, Karen A. Grépin, Waqas Hameed, Amanda Kalamar, Xaher Gul, Lynn Atuyambe, Dominic Montagu
Publication date: March, 2019

Journal article Association Between the Quality of Contraceptive Counseling and Method Continuation: Findings From a Prospective Cohort Study in Social Franchise Clinics in Pakistan and Uganda