BCC campaign on LAPM of Mayer Hashi project launched
Friday, 6 May 2011
FE Report
The national-level behaviour change communication (BCC) campaign on long acting and permanent method (LAPM) of the Mayer Hashi project was officially launched Thursday to stop unwanted pregnancy by ensuring the best use of the method in the country. The Mayer Hashi Project is funded by USAID under the Global RESPOND Project which is implemented by EngenderHealth in collaboration with the Bangladesh Centre for Communication Progra-mme (BCCP) and the Population Council. The project is tasked with addressing the need for family planning through expanding contraceptive choices and programme services, and preventing post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) using clinical and community approaches in 21 districts of the three low performing divisions of Sylhet, Chittagong and Barisal. Health and Family Welfare Minister Prof AFM Ruhal Haque formally inaugurated the campaign Thursday and termed the initiative the most effective tool to control the rising population. "I hope the method will produce the expected results by popularising it among the couples both at local and national levels," the minister said, adding that it will also help improve maternal and child health after reducing the maternity rate. He said despite facing many shortcomings like manpower shortages, the ministry has been taking many initiatives to locate the mothers in distress. "And the project will work to address those women." The minister said they have taken steps to re-activate the community clinics and will soon increase the number of such healthcare centres to 18,000 from the existing 13,000 for ensuring health to those living in the country's remote areas. US Ambassador to Bangladesh James F Moriarty said the US government will continue its support to improve health condition of the people of Bangladesh. "USAID spent 63 billion dollars over the last six years in the health sector to its partner countries." Appreciating the government for various steps to promote family planning, the envoy said family planning programmes have a great impact on Bangladesh as in 1970s each family on an average had seven children and the number came down to 2.5 in 2010. The ambassador also said the method can help the country reach Vision-21 declared by the government. The BCC Campaign will include street dramas, folk songs, documentary screening on local cable television and mobile van shows. In addition, print materials will be distributed among the stakeholders. According to the BCC Campaign guideline, over the past two decades the use of LAPM has declined from 36 per cent of the method in 1989 to 13 per cent in 2007. Currently, less than one in five family planning users choose the method.
The national-level behaviour change communication (BCC) campaign on long acting and permanent method (LAPM) of the Mayer Hashi project was officially launched Thursday to stop unwanted pregnancy by ensuring the best use of the method in the country. The Mayer Hashi Project is funded by USAID under the Global RESPOND Project which is implemented by EngenderHealth in collaboration with the Bangladesh Centre for Communication Progra-mme (BCCP) and the Population Council. The project is tasked with addressing the need for family planning through expanding contraceptive choices and programme services, and preventing post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) using clinical and community approaches in 21 districts of the three low performing divisions of Sylhet, Chittagong and Barisal. Health and Family Welfare Minister Prof AFM Ruhal Haque formally inaugurated the campaign Thursday and termed the initiative the most effective tool to control the rising population. "I hope the method will produce the expected results by popularising it among the couples both at local and national levels," the minister said, adding that it will also help improve maternal and child health after reducing the maternity rate. He said despite facing many shortcomings like manpower shortages, the ministry has been taking many initiatives to locate the mothers in distress. "And the project will work to address those women." The minister said they have taken steps to re-activate the community clinics and will soon increase the number of such healthcare centres to 18,000 from the existing 13,000 for ensuring health to those living in the country's remote areas. US Ambassador to Bangladesh James F Moriarty said the US government will continue its support to improve health condition of the people of Bangladesh. "USAID spent 63 billion dollars over the last six years in the health sector to its partner countries." Appreciating the government for various steps to promote family planning, the envoy said family planning programmes have a great impact on Bangladesh as in 1970s each family on an average had seven children and the number came down to 2.5 in 2010. The ambassador also said the method can help the country reach Vision-21 declared by the government. The BCC Campaign will include street dramas, folk songs, documentary screening on local cable television and mobile van shows. In addition, print materials will be distributed among the stakeholders. According to the BCC Campaign guideline, over the past two decades the use of LAPM has declined from 36 per cent of the method in 1989 to 13 per cent in 2007. Currently, less than one in five family planning users choose the method.