Background: Family Planning demand generation activities has the potency to increase clients' desire to use family planning by changing their attitudes or perceptions about FP or increasing their awareness or knowledge about FP methods. The Society for Family Health in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, piloted the hybrid Hormonal IUD training, using providers to initiate demand, counsel and administer the Hormonal IUD method.
Materials/Method: A total of 62 healthcare providers from Enugu, Oyo and Kano were recruited and trained on administration of Hormonal IUD. The providers were already competent in LARC method, especially in Cu-IUD. At inception, providers were given access to 2-3week online training on Hormonal IUD. Upon completion of course, providers were clustered for the hand-on practicum on model before subjected to 5-week competency assessment using a standard checklist. A provider was expected to complete a minimum of 3 insertions before adjudged competent. Providers were expected to mobilize clients to their facilities before reaching out to the state trained Hormonal IUD master trainer to supervise the insertion.
Results: At the end of the clinical supervision, all the trained providers were adjudged competent, with average score of 100% on all the critical steps. A total of 270 provider initiated hormonal IUD insertions were conducted within the 5weeks of competency supervision, averting 119 unintended pregnancies and 285 disability adjusted life years (DALYs). The program also provided a total 891 couple years protection.
Conclusion: Provider initiated demand generation is an untapped opportunity that can be further explored to increase access and uptake of modern contraceptives. Seeing the need for cost efficiency amidst dwindling donor funding, this strategy can be adopted to complement the already existing demand generation activities for Family Planning in country.
