PPIF Family Planning Programme Continues With Support Of World Bank

The first meeting of Punjab Population Innovation Fund (PPIF), Research and Publication Committee was held in which the current family planning landscape and research methods with subject matter experts were discussed

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Oct, 2024) The first meeting of Punjab Population Innovation Fund (PPIF), Research and Publication Committee was held in which the current family planning landscape and research methods with subject matter experts were discussed.

According to the details, the Punjab Family Planning (FP) programme had been launched with the support of World Bank (WB). The committee would be responsible for identifying and building a network of academic as well as practitioner partners, designing and evaluating interventions and collaborating to disseminate results. The program was being implemented in all districts of Punjab by P&SHD, PWD and PPIF. The PPIF would implement two components in the programme, which includes e-vouchers for BISP beneficiaries and awareness through mass media.

The PPIF had five strategic priorities which include FP outreach, reducing related male companies, strengthening engagement, promoting success-based information and communication as well as social behavior change. The PPIF was a market maker whose immediate goal was to accelerate the spread of contraceptives and reduce the need for family planning services to meet the FP 2030 targets.

The department conducted three workshops in Lahore, Rahim Yar Khan, Muzaffargarh, Multan, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi to improve access to quality family planning information and services as well as shared decision-making in selection of FP methods and services.

The PPIF had designed a programme that primarily focuses on providing youth-friendly services, including confidentiality, training health providers and youth-friendly clinical changes.

These services were being implemented in Attock, Khushab and Lodhran districts. PPIF had also established five friendly centres for adolescents and youth under UNFPA funded project.

In its initial programme, PPIF had piloted a doorstep service delivery model, also known as the Community Based Family Planning (CBFP) model, which aims to improve access to family planning advice and health services. After the historic success of the CRP model, PPIF extended it to 10 more districts including Rawalpindi, Sheikhupura, Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Kasur, Chiniot, TobaTek Singh, Sargodha, Lahore and Rawalpindi. As many as 823,000 married women of reproductive age (MWRAs) are expected to be achieved within 27 months with FP information to achieve the success of the project.

The PPIF had launched another programme specifically aimed at improving family planning knowledge, positive attitudes and practices through structured and evidence-based social and behavior change communication interventions. The programme was divided into three broad communication strategies, one for communication and the other for digital health districts covering Rajanpur, Sheikhupura, Okara, Sargodha, Jhang and Sialkot.

In 2018, PPIF partnered with BISP for tripartite agreement to reach the poorest of the poor with FP Services and Population Council as research partners. The pilot was piloted in District Rahim Yar Khan through electronic FP vouchers to eligible married women of reproductive age among BISP beneficiaries.