Source: Citizen Report Card on Family Planning produced by Forum for Women in Democracy in 2012. WEB| www.fowode.org | E-mail: fowode@fowode.org

Quality and Reliability

Access and Utilisation

Satisfaction

81%

17%

2%

satisfied dissatisfied neither-nor satisfied

7%

20%

75%

Use of modern family planning methods in Uganda has consistently increased over the last decade from 14% in 2001 to 26 % in 2011.

of modern family planning users in Uganda discontinued using the method within 12 months.

Only 23 % of women practice birth control.

43 %

Households that visited a health center for FP services

Households that did not seek FPservices

690 households surveyed in Guluand Luwerovisited the health center during the last one year [63% of these were women]. Half of them [50%] sought for injectable contraceptives. Choice is influenced by inability to be detected by husbands. Whereas 20% of these went with their partners.

57%

of the surveyed households did not know when the government health facility received family planning commodities.

Majority [90%] received the required services whenever they visited a health center

75% waited for less thhour to get served while at the health center

Only 11% reported that the health facility carried out outreach services on family planning within their villages

of those dissatisfied cited bad attitude of health workers, 18% were dissatisfied with long hours of wait, 10% inadequate information and 8% health facility being too far.

Had a problem while at health facility. Major problems included Lack of FP commodities, impolite staff absence of health worker, bribes or pay for services.

21%

Paid some money to access family planning services 68% of these reported to have paid for injectables and majority of these [90%] paid to a nurse.

Satisfaction with family planning services

Citizens’ satisfaction of family planning services in Uganda

Problem and Grievances redress

Forum for women in Democracy in 2012 commissioned a Citizen’s Report Card (CRC) study in Gulu and Luwero districts to measures the levels of citizens satisfaction, access and utilization of family planning services,

In 2012, Forum for Women in Democracy [FOWODE] a women’s rights national non-partisan organisation, commissioned a study in Gulu and Luwero districts to measure citizens’ satisfaction with Family Planning (FP) services using a Citizens’ Report Card (CRC). By collecting feedback on the quality and adequacy of public services from actual users, the CRC provides a rigorous basis and a proactive agenda for communities and civil society organizations to engage in a dialogue with government and service providers to improve the delivery of public services (PAC, 2012). The tool not only facilitates prioritization of reforms and corrective actions but also provides a benchmark on the quality of public services as enjoyed by citizens.

One way of improving reproductive health care in Uganda is to ensure that family planning services are accessible and affordable. The Ministry of Health (MoH) has put in place maternal mortality reforms which include improving family planning services. In line with these efforts, the use of modern methods of family planning has consistently increased over the past decade, growing from 14 per cent of married women in 2001 to 26 per cent in 2011 (UBOS, 2012). However, contraceptive prevalence rates are still very sparse. Although women want to reduce the number of children that they have, only one fifth of married women (23 percent) practice birth control due to many factors including: misconceptions about family planning; lack of information; limited access; costs; limited decision-making power on reproductive choices; and, opposition from male partners (NCG, 2012).

RecommendationThe report card provides valuable feedback to improve family planning services and provides important information to guide policy makers and other key stakeholder to address the key challenges in effective delivery of family planning services.

Ministry of Health • Devise strategies for targeting men to support

family planning through use of mass media, community dialogue, scaling up integrated outreach services and use of fellow men as peer mobilizers.

• Promote the use of alternative family planning methods with fewer side effects such as rhythm/moon beads.

• Increase funding for family planning education and advocacy to change people’s attitudes and behaviour.

• Recruit more health workers especially those that handle family planning issues.

National Medical Stores• Increase procurement and supply of family planning

commodities used by men, especially condoms and surgical kits for vasectomy and those used by women with fewer side effects such as moon beads and surgical kits for sterilization.

Health Facilities• Increase on community sensitization and outreach

activities in a bid to popularize family planning methods at community level.

• Partner with relevant partners such as village health teams, community development workers and Community Based Organizations to mobilize people to effectively participate in family planning programmes.

• Carry out proper investigation /testing before provision of a family planning method to get a more suitable one in a bid to reduce side-effects

• Sensitise people on the side effects of family planning and how they can manage them.

• Improve on provision of information on availability of free family planning services at government health facilities.

Civil Society Organizations• Should lobby government for increased funding for

family planning services.• Undertake community sensitization on the

importance of family planning through the use of the mass media and community dialogues.

• Deliberately target men in their family planning campaigns through the use of Information, Education and Communication materials and mass media

• Develop health information packages about the rights of men and their responsibilities in family planning.

Forum for Women in Democracy