Injectables Access Collaborative launches new phase to expand contraceptive options

The Injectables Access Collaborative provides data-driven technical assistance, coordination, resources, and tools to ensure that women and girls have increased access to DMPA-SC and self-injection as part of an expanded range of contraceptive methods, delivered through informed choice programming.

We are pleased to announce a new phase of the Access Collaborative (AC) to advance the introduction and scale-up of the contraceptive DMPA-SC including self-injection (SI).

The AC provides data-driven technical assistance, coordination, resources, and tools to ensure that women and girls have increased access to DMPA-SC and self-injection as part of an expanded range of contraceptive methods, delivered through informed choice programming. Formerly known as the “DMPA-SC Access Collaborative,” this new phase of partnership is named the “Injectables Access Collaborative,” reflecting an increased focus on global market management and analytics for DMPA-SC as part of the broader injectables market.

“At the heart of the AC is the idea that when people can access diverse contraceptive options, they are more likely to find one that matches their individual preferences and needs,” says Ashley Jackson, AC Project Director. “Women and girls have called for more methods they can discreetly and conveniently access close to home and manage themselves—methods like DMPA-SC.”

An expanded consortium

While the previous iteration of the AC was led by PATH in partnership with JSI, including their affiliate inSupply Health, the AC will now be led by PATH with an expanded partner consortium comprising the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), inSupply Health, Jhpiego, and JSI.

This phase will build on the past six years of work by the PATH-JSI AC and complementary projects led by CHAI and Jhpiego to ensure the sustainable availability of DMPA-SC as part of healthy markets for injectables and an expanded range of contraceptive options.

PATH’s Ashley Jackson will lead the initiative as AC Project Director, following in the footsteps of former Project Director, Caitlin Corneliess; and Deputy Director, Ebony Fontenot. The project leadership team also includes three partner leads—Emma Aldrich, CHAI; Célestin Compaore, Jhpiego; and Dr. Adewole Adefalu, JSI—along with PATH’s Project Administrator, Rachel Hien.

AC country technical assistance options

Drawing from years of implementation experience and evidence, the AC team will provide technical assistance (TA) to countries through three primary formats:

• Continuous TA will be provided in 11 countries that are actively scaling up DMPA-SC/SI by expanding service delivery into new channels, cadres, and geographies. The following continuous TA countries were selected at the request of ministries of health: Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
• Short-term TA is available for countries that are earlier in the DMPA-SC/SI introduction and scale-up process. More information and a request form for short-term TA is available on the DMPA-SC Resource Library.
• Self-serve TA enables countries at any stage of introduction and scale-up to learn about DMPA-SC/SI. One key self-serve tool is the AC’s DMPA-SC Resource Library which offers comprehensive information for implementers and decision-makers. The AC will also continue to host interactive webinars and workshops through its Learning and Action Network (LAN).

In addition, the AC will produce market analyses to support governments, partners, and donors working to improve access to DMPA-SC and SI. The AC has also developed a learning agenda to address critical questions around DMPA-SC/SI service delivery and will share those results along with digital resources to facilitate SI data collection and monitoring.

Learning and Action Network

The Access Collaborative facilitates the LAN which includes family planning program leaders and implementers from across sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. The LAN fosters information exchange and learning within and among countries by sharing evidence and lessons learned, troubleshooting programmatic challenges, and accelerating the adoption of best practices for the scale-up of DMPA-SC and self-injection. The LAN hosts workshops, webinars, and virtual discussion groups on topics including self-injection, task-sharing, monitoring and evaluation, lower-cost training approaches, and more. It also shares links to new evidence, information, and events of interest to the community.

Join us!

The AC team is excited to embark on this new phase of the project, accelerating momentum and strengthening existing partnerships. We encourage new country partners to join our efforts! For more information, sign up for our newsletters or contact us at FPoptions@path.org.

*DMPA-SC: Subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate.