Integration of reproductive health services for men in health and family welfare centers in Bangladesh.

The overall objective of the study was to increase men’s access to and acceptance of reproductive health services at Health and Family Welfare Centers (HFWCs) in Bangladesh. The study was conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Population Research and Training (NIPORT) the Directorate of Family Planning and the Population Council. NIPORT is a national research and training under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The Directorate of Family Planning provides reproductive health services including family planning at the union level (the lowest administrative unit covering a population of 30000 to 50000) through its 3700 HFWCs. These centers offer curative and preventive services to mothers and children. Each HFWC is staffed by a Family Welfare Visitor (FWV) and a Sub-Assistant Community Medical Officer (SACMO). They are supported by five to seven Family Welfare Assistants (FWAs). FWVs are traditionally women who have received 18 months of basic training in reproductive and child health care and provide family planning and maternal and child health (MCH) services. SACMOs on the other hand are predominately men who have three years of basic training in reproductive health child health care and basic medical services. They provide general health care child health care and treatment for minor ailments to both male and female clients. The study activities began in November 2000 and were completed in December 2002. The study was carried out in the four major divisions of Bangladesh: Dhaka Khulna Rajshahi and Sylhet. The interventions were tested in twelve government health facilities. The primary intervention groups in the study were men of reproductive age and grassroots-level service providers. NIPORT and the Directorate of Family Planning implemented the study with technical assistance from the Population Council. (excerpt)