Strengthening family planning and reproductive health for a sustainable and long-term impact on the public health system in Uttar Pradesh
Through the Umeed project, Population Foundation of India is supporting the state government in Uttar Pradesh in improving access, increasing demand and utilisation of family planning (FP) and reproductive health services in over 5,800 villages across six districts, including Bahraich, Balrampur, Barabanki, Gonda, Unnao, and Sitapur. The Mobius Foundation is supporting the project.
In March 2023, we started with a demonstration in 120 villages of Jarwal block in Bahraich district. As per the National Health Mission (NHM) Health Management Information System (HMIS) this was a success, wherein there was 74% increase in the use of condoms, 76% increase in Chaaya (Centchroman), 79% increase in emergency contraceptives pills (ECPs), 26% increase in first dose of Antara (Depot Medroxy Progesterone Acetate-DMPA) and a 32% increase in Oral Contraceptive Pills (OCPs) between April 2023 and March 2024.
Based on the success, Mobius Foundation has committed to support the scale up in over 5,800 villages across six districts from February, 2024 onwards. The Director General of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Uttar Pradesh, has issued directives to the District Chief Medical Officers to support the implementation of the Umeed project. The scale-up focuses on:
- Training and mentoring of over 12,000 nurses, Auxiliary Nursing Midwives and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) to provide high-quality FP services and counselling.
- Setting up 200 FP corners at public health facilities that provide regular access to condoms, OCPs, ECPs, Centchroman and DMPA.
- Reaching newly married and zero and low parity couples, who have the maximum need, and efforts to increase the age at marriage, reduce teenage pregnancies and improve access to safe abortion services.
- Organising awareness campaigns around early marriages, teenage pregnancy, basket of contraceptive choices and male engagement.
- Engaging and mobilising support from the Jan Aarogya Samiti and Panchayati Raj Institutions members on FP.
