Samoa: Family Welfare Centre steps up integrated MCH/FP programme
Asian-Pacific Population Programme News 8(3): 27-28
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-6718 PMID: 12278300 Document Number: 497711
The work of the Family Welfare Centre (FWC) in Apia and its country outposts showed progress in its annual report for 1978. A new clinic was set up that year to attend to children found to be underweight, to gain insight into the problem of malnutrition in infants and children. The aims of the clinic are to offer good maternal and child care services; to provide family planning services; to provide training for medical, nursing, and other related personnel in MCH/FP; and to enhance motivation to promote good health. A user survey conducted in September 1978 showed current users to be: IUDs 505, contraceptive pills 125, and Depo Provera 251. The Centre is attempting to reduce the number of dropouts by increasing follow-up activity. In April 1978 the estimated population of women aged 15-49 in Apia was 44,533. With the birth rate estimated to be 35/1000 the estimated number of births per year would be about 1550. Postnatal clinics handle a large percentage of women requesting family planning services while the maternity clinic offers Depo Provera to women subsequent to delivery if they wish to protect themselves before leaving the hospital. More intensive training courses in IUD insertion are needed. Unnecessary restrictions on use of injectables and orals in outlying districts should be removed. All district nurses should participate in the ongoing user survey.