Involving private medical practitioners in family planning services in Bangladesh

Abstract

The project "Involving Private Medical Practitioners (PMPs) in Family Planning Services" is an innovative initiative to involve PMPs in protecting the reproductive health (RH) of couples, attract private investment in the family planning (FP) sector, and eventually reduce the increasing financial pressure on the government. The project was implemented in two phases. In phase I, qualified PMPs from urban areas were given training on FP. In phase II, nonqualified PMPs were given training on FP. PIACT Bangladesh, a local NGO, conducted two pilot projects to involve the PMPs in FP. The first one was to involve qualified PMPs in urban areas (Dhaka) and the second one was to involve nonqualified PMPs in rural areas (Komalganj Thana of Moulvibazar District). Qualified PMPs are medical graduates and nonqualified PMPs are rural medical practitioners (RMPs) who are not medical graduates. The overall objective of the pilot projects was to explore the feasibility of involving PMPs and RMPs in providing selected FP services on a commercial basis with emphasis on counseling and side-effect management. The findings of both projects are presented in this report.