Improving family planning program performance through management training: the 3Cs paradigm
Jain, S.C.; Barkat, A.; Lundeen, K.; Faisel, A.J.; Ahmed, T.; Islam, M.S.
Journal of Health and Population in Developing Countries 2(1): 1-25
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 1095-8940 PMID: 12349106 Document Number: 282121
Action research was conducted in Bangladesh to determine whether a high level of fertility control behavior can be attained in a country of very low socioeconomic status, including very low levels of literacy and women's status, and if management training help can improve the performance of service delivery systems. 20 family planning officials participated in a 14-week, non-degree, management training program conducted in Dhaka. The research found that competently executed determined effort is a far faster and more effective alternative to socioeconomic development-led contraception in a developing population. A carefully designed and executed intervention can achieve a high level of contraceptive use, and thereby control fertility, without waiting for significant improvement in a country's socioeconomic indicators. For example, in the 19 experimental thanas, the contraceptive prevalence rate increased by an average of approximately 10 percentage points within 12 months of training. These findings demonstrate how a task-focused, well-designed, and properly conducted management training, backed by well organized and managed follow-up, can effect major improvement in a system's effectiveness and productivity, even if that system is staffed by a demoralized and apathetic work force.