Healthy Families, Brighter Futures Family Planning

Thanks for your generousity, 6 village health team have reached more than 62
women in Gulu!

By Filder Anek – Medical officer in charge

With support from generous donors like you we were able to train 6 community health workers who we refer to as village health team (VHT) to serve in the community. They have been empowered to talk to women of child bearing age in the communities about family planning and reproductive health. Since the onset of the project, we have seen a rise in the number of women visiting the health centre for family planning services. Last month alone we saw a total of 62 women who were provided reproductive health education in the health centre and more were provided during our outreach days. 

The VHTs are targeting women of child bearing ages because of the high teenage pregancy rates, they will continue to conduct educational sessions.

All of the attendees at the outreach sessions receive vouchers referring them to Karin Medical Clinics for additional counseling and voluntary family planning services. Analysis of the referral log book revealed the training has made a positive impact on the number of new family planning users, resulting in an increase in family planning users amongst women of child bearing age.  

After the outreach sessions we have achieved an increase in clients using Karin Medical Centre services. A total of 62 women attended the outreach health education sessions. Of these attendees, 15 women visited Karin medical Centre clinics as new clients for family planning, reproducitve health services, such as prenatal and postnatal healthcare. According the referral log book, of the 15 clients successfully referred to Karin medical centre, 13 received family planning services for the first time.

As we anticipated, we have noted increased acceptance by the traditional women about the family planning needs. When the VHTs explain to them about family planning and reproductive health, Karin Medical Centre saw an increased acceptance by older women who did not understand family planning in the past and they were able to
explain to their daughters and to the even to their daughters-in-law. This will ultimately lead to increased access by young women to reproductive health services which will reduce maternal deaths.

We encourage you to read our updates on the project’s progress as the VHTs continue to host health education sessions in their communities, improving access to and use of life-saving reproductive health and family planning services.

Thank you again for supporting this amazing work!

Links:

• childcare development organisation uganda