In the publication, “Maintaining essential health services: operational guidance for the COVID-19 context” the WHO outlines strategies governments should take to ensure populations retain access to essential health services, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care, during and beyond the current COVID-19 pandemic. This document, developed with the input of international nongovernmental organizations and local civil society actors to support the implementation of the WHO guidance at the country level, recommends concrete policy, programmatic and budgetary decisions to optimize and implement the WHO guidance and other relevant SRH guidelines at the national and subnational levels. As a living document, the recommendations provide a snapshot of the current context. This document is designed to be updated with new evidence and advocacy recommendations by governments, technical experts, civil society and advocates worldwide with the COVID-19 response and through recovery.

This publication recommends practical actions that countries can take at national, subregional and local levels to reorganize and safely maintain access to high-quality, essential health services in the pandemic context. The guidance outlines strategies governments should take to ensure populations retain access to essential health services, including sexual and reproductive health care, during and beyond the current COVID-19 pandemic. It is intended for decision-makers and managers at the national and subnational levels.

Tools for advocacy and communications to increase access to a new type of injectable contraception

Subcutaneous DMPA (DMPA-SC) is an innovative and easy-to-use injectable that is transforming contraceptive access, use, and choice for women and adolescent girls. Advocates have an important role to play in making sure their country’s policies and funding support access to a broad method mix, including new options like DMPA-SC.

The DMPA-SC Advocacy Pack is designed to accelerate your advocacy efforts. It consists of evidence-based materials, in English and French, for advocates to use both for their own strategy development and for direct advocacy with decision-makers. Materials are customizable and unbranded so that you can tailor them to your country context.

This DMPA-SC advocacy pack brief details the strong body of evidence and experience with self-injection of DMPA-SC in low-resource settings, including how the practice can reduce access-related barriers, improve contraceptive continuation, and enhance women’s autonomy.

This brief lists key references and resources from the evidence base on DMPA-SC. Pair this with the Evidence at-a-glance brief if your target decision-maker would like to have access to the data in that handout.

This brief offers quick facts on the benefits of DMPA-SC; the product’s potential for empowering women and adolescent girls; the product’s availability; and how subcutaneous DMPA is different from intramuscular DMPA (DMPA-IM).

This DMPA-SC advocacy pack brief outlines existing evidence on DMPA-SC with data grouped into top-line, evidence-based messages, with corresponding data from different countries. This handout can be printed and distributed directly to decision-makers. It contains several one-page spotlight handouts on specific sub-topics, which can be printed and paired with the two-page summary—for distribution to decision-makers—as needed.

This customizable slide deck provides a brief description of DMPA-SC and its benefits; an overview of evidence on how the product expands access through multiple delivery channels; and illustrative policy and advocacy gaps and recommendations for country decision-makers.

This press release announces the price reduction of Sayana Press from $1 to $0.85 per dose in qualifying countries.

This DMPA-SC advocacy pack brief helps you understand the terms surrounding DMPA injectables to inform your messaging and communication.