Reproductive health: the Thai experience.

Abstract

In Thailand the success of the family planning (FP) program has led to improvements in maternal-child health the population growth rate the quality of life and economic development. The first FP clinic was established in 1970 and became a model for what followed. While the Thai population growth rate decreased from 3.3 in 1970 to 1.3 in 1994 the infant and maternal mortality rates also decreased. The FP programs success was based on cooperation between the government and several nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) which took the form of 1) political support for FP; 2) provision of health centers and trained health personnel to promote FP; 3) inclusion of FP into the curriculum of Thai universities and medical schools which also established clinics and training programs and conducted research; 4) promotion and provision of services by NGOs; and 5) promotion of FP by the Ministry of the Interior in every district and village. International organizations such as the World Health Organization the Population Council and the Rockefeller Foundation have established a network of reproductive health research centers in Thailand and these centers are proving invaluable in training personnel from other countries in the regions. The major reproductive health problem faced by Thailand is HIV/AIDS which has spread at a rapid rate to involve more than 600000 people by 1995. AIDS is now a top priority in research training and treatment facilities and it is hoped that the success of the FP program can be transferred to HIV/AIDS prevention efforts.