Remarks by Dr Alaka Singh, Representative, WHO Sri Lanka, on World Contraception Day 2021.
The full remarks are below.
26 September has been designated World Contraception Day to bring focus to the rights of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children. This is also captured in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development under target 3.7 that states “by 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.”
Improved access to low-cost contraception and its uptake through family planning programmes has reduced high-risk pregnancies; maternal and child mortality; teen and unplanned pregnancies; and, improved child health and nutrition. Modelling exercises have found that contraceptive use may have reduced maternal mortality by over 40%. It is critical that all stakeholders work together to maintain these hard-fought gains and further drive new ones. Notably, in addition to family planning goals, better and more options are needed to sustain progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS, as well as other sexually transmitted infections.
It is important to note that the impact of family planning is beyond health. It is multisectoral and even intergenerational. It is well documented that improved child health and nutrition has the potential to positively influence academic performance and behavior. In turn, education is a key determinant of the uptake and consistency in use of family planning services. Estimates for the economic impact of family planning have found that $3.6 billion a year spent on providing contraception to all those who want them has a potential of an annual return of $432 billion. A return of $120 for every dollar spent. Further, family planning is increasingly being identified as a cost-effective approach in climate change resilience strategies.
Sri Lanka started a successful family planning programme in the early 1950s and has reduced its crude birth rate to about 15 per 1,000 population in 2021 and maternal mortality to less than 30 per 100,000 live births in 2019. The sustainability of the programme is demonstrated by continuity of services through COVID-19. The Family Health Bureau reports nearly 30,000 new acceptors of contraceptives in 2020. Family planning was identified as a key component of the essential maternal child health package, regardless of transmission stage or restrictions due to COVID. Close supervision helped to mitigate stock management challenges caused by global procurement and supply chain issues. And, important support from the private sector and NGOs was instrumental in the delivery of family planning items to homes during periods of lock down. During COVID-19, WHO supported continuity of services through the training of field staff on reorienting service delivery.
WHO, in fact, been a long-term partner of the Ministry of Health’s family planning programme and has been working very closely with other development agencies as well. WHO initiated a South to South learning exchange on family planning to support cross-country learning. One achievement here for Sri Lanka was upgrading the paper-based logistic management system to a web-based system. Going forward, WHO has identified a series of upstream catalytical work, including development of a strategic plan, guidelines, service delivery assessments and capacity building exercises.
WHO reiterates its commitment to stand ready to support the Ministry of Health to further strengthen and expand family planning services as core to maternal and child health.
Thank you.