Mapping family planning policy and programme best practices in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region: a step towards coordinated scale-up.
Family planning is recognized as among the 4 core components of safe motherhood. This survey aimed to map evidence-based best policy and programme practices in family planning in the Member States of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. A self-administered, structured questionnaire was developed to survey different components of 7 essential elements of successful family planning programmes. Responses were received from the ministry of health in 18 out of 22 Member States. A total of 17 out of 18 responding countries (94%) (including 7 priority countries for Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5) confirmed the availability of at least 5 out of the 7 surveyed essential elements of successful family planning programmes. Documented available best practices in family planning suggest a need for close coordination and collaboration among stakeholders in scaling up these best practices, especially in priority countries, to improve maternal and child health in the Region.
Women's Reproductive Health, World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Cairo, Egypt. chikvaidzep@emro.who.int
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D000349:Africa; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D016656:Family Planning Policy; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D008877:Middle East; D014944:World Health Organization