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Does CHPS Increase Access to Family Planning in Rural Ghana? A case study of Nkwanta District. Dr. J. Koku Awoonor-Williams Nkwanta Health Development Centre District Director of Health Services, Ghana Health Service. Nkwanta Background. Nkwanta Background.
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Does CHPS Increase Access to Family Planning in Rural Ghana?A case study of Nkwanta District Dr. J. Koku Awoonor-Williams Nkwanta Health Development Centre District Director of Health Services, Ghana Health Service
Nkwanta Background • Poorest and most remote district in the Volta Region • Spans over 5,500 km2 • Estimated population 187,000 • Multiple ethno-linguistic groups • No access to pipe-borne water, telephones, or radio • Several communities only accessible by foot, river or motorbike
Nkwanta Background • Nkwanta District doctor: patient ratio 1 : 93,500 • Nkwanta nurse: patient ratio 1 : 9,000 • High prevalence of water-borne disease and malnutrition • High maternal & infant morbidity and mortality
Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) • Nkwanta first piloted CHPS in 1998 • Nkwanta has 9 CHPS zones with 5 more scheduled for launching in 2005 • CHPS targets remote, underserved areas • CHPS is a vehicle for delivering GHS community level services • Approximately 35% of Nkwanta’s total population is covered by CHPS
The CHPS Process • The operational unit is a CHPS zone • Six “milestones” are completed in the process of CHPS implementation
CHPS Milestones • A CHPS zone is mapped and demarcated • Community leaders are oriented and involved in planning activities • Community assists in building a “Community Health Compound” (CHC), where the nurse lives and provides 24-hour services
CHPS Milestones • Community Health Officer (CHO) is trained and relocated to the zone • Equipment and transportation are procured • Volunteer health organizers are mobilized, trained and deployed
Nkwanta District Evaluation Survey (NDES 2004) • 60 EA cluster survey with 15 households randomly selected in each cluster • Every female aged 15-49 in household was interviewed • NDES 2004 includes 859 households and 1,159 female respondents (39% with CHC as nearest facility, 27% in CHPS zones)
Barriers to Family Planning • Economic barriers • Administrative/bureaucratic barriers • Information/educational barriers • Psychosocial/cultural barriers
CHPS Increases Economic Access • Trust-based payment schemes (deferment, installment, or transfers in-kind) • Decreases transportation and opportunity costs(increasing bargaining power of FP clients during spousal negotiations) • CHPS services are less expensive than hospital or clinic care(home consultations are free)
CHPS IncreasesAdministrative Access & Reduction of ‘Unmet Needs” • 24-hour availability of family planning services • Routine door-step visits • Active outreach strategy for family planning and immunization (CHPS nurses track down clients) • Reduction in wait time • Flexible and confidential arrangements for service provision (in comfortable and safe environment of clients’ choosing)
CHPS Increases Information Access • Health education and communication at both community and individual levels • Information access includes: health education, symptom recognition, benefits and costs of needed care, and referral services
CHPS Increases Cultural Access • Community-based nurses understand cultural fears, local superstitions and practices • Clients are more comfortable with nurses who live in community • CHPS mobilizes local traditions/systems for communication, planning and action
CHPS Increases Partner Support • 38% of females living in CHPS zones (and ≤15km from CHC) reported that their sexual partner approves of family planning VS. • 28% of women with no facility access or non-CHPS facility access
CHPS Increases FP Use Among Women With Only Primary Education • CHPS zones- 36% VS. • Hospital access- 20% • Health centre or clinic access -7-8% • No facility access -13%
Lessons Learned: Areas for Improvement • Keeping communities mobilized • Creating volunteer incentives • Reaching vulnerable ethnic groups • Involving formal female social networks (market associations, etc…) • Promoting male partner participation • Launching adolescent programs
Conclusions and Recommendations • CHPS increases geographical and non-geographical access to family planning • CHPS increases knowledge, use and support for family planning • National policies should allow midwives and CHOs to provide all FP methods (including IUD and Norplant)
Thank You Very Much You are invited to Nkwanta!