UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs,
with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
|
| UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) |
|
HDDFLASH ISSUE no. 5, July 15, 1996
Electronic newsletter and archiving service on human development issues
World Bank
Human Development Department (HDD)
e-mail: hddlink@worldbank.org
http://www.worldbank.org/html/hcovp/hdd/contents.html
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In this issue...
* India's Family Welfare Program: Direction in Development Report by
Anthony Measham and Richard A. Heaver
* What's New in the HDDFLASH Archive?
* Program for Adolescent Mothers in Jamaica - Family Health International
* Vacancy Announcements
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India's Family Welfare Program: Directions in Development Report
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The World Bank's Direction in Development Report - 'India's Family Welfare
Program: Moving to a Reproductive and Child Health Approach' focuses on
how the Family Welfare Program (FWP) can carry out the commitment (given
at the Cairo population conference) to implement a client-centered
approach that responds more effectively to the reproductive health and
family planning needs of women and men in India. The report, written in
collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, aims to
identify specific constraints that stand in the way of reorienting the FWP
toward a reproductive health approach and to delineate feasible actions
which can be taken to overcome them.
The 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development
formalized a growing international consensus that improving reproductive
health, including family planning, is essential to human welfare and
development. This brings to light the crucial distinctions between the
overall goals of a population policy and those of a reproductive health
program.
The Indian Family Welfare Program, now in its fifth decade, has made
important contributions to improving the health of mothers and children
and providing family planning services. During the past decade its focus
has gradually shifted away from family planning and toward a general
effort to improve maternal and child health. However, problems of access
to services and the quality of services continue to plague the program.
These issues have to be addressed if the program is to become more
client-centered.
Some key issues which need to be resolved are :
1. Moving away from numerical, method specific contraceptive targets and
incentives to a client-centered approach. It has been recognized that
contraceptive targets imbue the FWP with a demographic planning emphasis
that is antithetical to the reproductive health approach. It is suggested
that the government develop a broad system of performance goals and
measures which focus on a range of reproductive services.
2. Expanding the use of male and reversible contraceptive methods and
broadening the choice of contraceptives. Male contraceptive methods
account for only 6 percent of current contraceptive use. There is an
urgent need to promote the use of condoms as a contraceptive method and as
a means for preventing the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Although
female sterilization still accounts for 75% of modern contraception
methods there is still a high unmet need for reversible methods. Therefore
increasing contraceptive choice for individuals deserves a high priority.
3. Improving the breadth, access and quality of services; and
involving communities (women's groups, those representing the poor,
scheduled castes, scheduled tribes) in the operations of the FWP is
critical. Although community involvement has been growing over
time, the potential for playing a larger role is enormous, and the
benefits of such involvement are likely to be considerable.
4. Strengthening the role of the private sector
The private sector accounts for three-quarters of all health expenditures
in India and emphasizes curative rather than preventive care. Social
marketing, private medical practitioners and private voluntary
organizations (PVOs) are three components of the private sector.
The report recommends assessing the current system for marketing of
contraceptives and additional health and nutrition products, supporting
and promoting the involvement of private practitioners in reproductive and
child health care by providing training and overhauling the operational
systems of PVOs thus allowing them to be strengthened and more focused on
reproductive concerns.
5. Adequate funding for the current program and expansion of the
reproductive health approach.
The FWP is substantially underfunded particularly in the areas of
facilities, staffing and transport. The public sector will need to
increase its budget in these areas and have a central role to play in
financing the reproductive and child health package of services.
Additional discussions on financing can be found in the report on health
finance (World Bank 1995e) and the India Country Economic Memorandum.
__________________________________________________________________________
To order a copy of the report electronically, check out the
Publications Homepage at:
http://www.worldbank.org/html/extpb/Publications.html
For a mail order copy contact:
The World Bank Bookstore
1818 H St., N.W., Department T-8051
Washington, D.C. 20433
Tel: (202)473-1155 or Fax: (202)522-2627
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WHAT'S NEW IN THE HDDFLASH ARCHIVE?
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Findings is a World Bank publication which reports on ongoing operational,
economic and sector work carried out by the World Bank and its member
governments in the Africa Region. It is published periodically by the Africa
Technical Department on behalf of the Region.
The following issues are relevant to the health, education and development
sectors and can be retrieved from the archive.
Filename Title
find001 Madagascar:Increasing Food Security & Nutrition (10,935 bytes-8/95)
find002 Health Care in Zambia (14,078 bytes-7/95)
find003 Nigeria: Towards Improved Social Services (14,558 bytes-9/95)
find004 African Development Indicators 1994-95 (3,643 bytes-10/95)
find005 Ghana: Promoting Growth and Reducing Poverty (12,718 bytes-11/95)
find006 Girls and Schools in Sub-Saharan Africa (9,537 bytes-1/96)
To retrieve these documents, send an e-mail message to:
listserv@tome.worldbank.org
(Bank staff: sending an All-in-1 message will need to add the extension
@internet).
In the body of the message, type: get hddflash filename
e.g. get hddflash find003
NOTE: Do not add periods, quotes, or brackets around the filename.
Request only one article per message. Filenames must be in
lower-case letters. Only subscribers have access to the archive.
If you are not a subscriber, but would like to receive HDDFLASH and
access to the archive, please send the following message:
subscribe hddflash YourFirstName YourLastName
e.g. subscribe hddflash Jane Doe
to: listserv@tome.worldbank.org
If you received an error message, contact us at: hddlink@worldbank.org
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Case Study on Adolescent Program in Jamaica
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The Women's Studies Project (WSP) at Family Health International
(FHI) has published a case study on the Program for Adolescent
Mothers in Jamaica. Administered by the Women's Center of Jamaica
Foundation, the islandwide program provides assistance to pregnant
teenage girls by 1) helping teens continue their education during
pregnancy and return to the regular school system as soon as
possible and 2) educating teens about family planning so that they
may delay a second pregnancy.
The case study is part of a series of profiles of women-centered health
programs published by the WSP. The Jamaica case study includes a history of
the Program, information about Program administration and funding,
interviews with current and former participants, and interviews with
community members. Former participants discuss the long-term effects of the
Program, noting it offered a friendly, non-judgmental environment at a
stressful time in their lives. The Program also helped them improve
relationships with their parents, accept the responsibilities of motherhood,
become family planning users, gain self-esteem, and demand more in their
relationships with men.
The case study was written by Barbara Barnett, Elizabeth Eggleston and Karen
Hardee of the WSP staff and Jean Jackson of the Fertility Management Unit
(FMU) of the University of the West Indies. A limited number of copies are
available. The publication is free and can be obtained by contacting Ms.
Debbie Crumpler, Publications Coordinator, Family Health International.
Fax: 919-544-7261. The text of the case study also is available on FHI's web
site: http://www.fhi.org
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V A C A N C Y A N N O U N C E M E N T S
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SEARCH FOR HIGH CALIBRE RESEARCH SCIENTIST
Recruitment Notice
Global Tuberculosis Programme
World Health Organization
Geneva, Switzerland
The Mission of the Global Tuberculosis Programme (GTB) of the World Health
Organization is to relieve the considerable burden of death and suffering
caused by tuberculosis. GTB's role is to lead and support the international
community, to eliminate TB as a global public heath problem, especially in
low-income countries. The Tuberculosis Research and Surveillance unit (TRS)
of GTB, has committed itself to promoting the research necessary to achieve
this mission.
The objectives of TRS are:
i. to gather information to describe the status of the TB epidemic and the
impact of attempts to control it;
ii. to promote the research necessary to disseminate the WHO recommended
strategy to TB control; and,
iii.to promote research aimed at improving this strategy.
We are, therefore, looking for professionals with diverse skills to apply
their initiative and enthusiasm to this task. In particular we are seeking
an experienced scientist who has a background in biomedical research or in
infectious diseases, particularly in anti-infective agents and/or
diagnostic tools. The preferred candidate will either have worked for at
least five years in the pharmaceutical or biomedical industry or have had,
in the course of his/her work, close dealings with these industries.
Successful candidates will be expected to develop strong working
relationships with leading biomedical research institutions and research
funding institutions worldwide, keep abreast of developments, facilitate
consideration of products and approaches with particular attention to their
relevance to developing country settings, challenge established wisdom and
convention to encourage innovative approaches to research, its strategy and
development of effective public/private partnerships. Leadership,
initiative, and proven management skills are essential. Specific experience
in the field of tuberculosis or mycobacterial infections will be an
advantage. We envisage the successful candidate will have a Ph.D. or
equivalent, or a medical degree, with extensive experience in a biomedical
research area and a good publication record with proven project management
experience. Excellent written and oral presentation skills in English are
essential.
Applications from women are encouraged.
Remuneration: Salary plus Post Adjustment (subject to fluctuations)
US$85 000 - 115 000.
The successful candidate will be based in Geneva and will have
substantial opportunity for international travel. A detailed
curriculum vitae with an accompanying letter quoting references and
explaining why the candidate believes they would be the best person for the
position should be sent to the address below by August 1, 1996.
PRC/GTB/TRS
Head, Professional Candidates
World Health Organization
20, Avenue Appia
CH-1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
WHO Facsimile No. +41-22-791-07-46
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HEAD OF INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS PROJECT OFFICE IN MOSCOW OPENS IN JULY
International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) announces an opening
in mid-July of the Moscow Representative position for the USAID/IREX
Institutional Partnerships Project.
The Institutional Partnerships Project (IPP), under a three-year
cooperative agreement between IREX and USAID, helps educational
institutions, professional associations, and trade organizations in
the Russian Federation and Ukraine build capacity to provide
professional-level training, as well as improve their member
services. By strengthening the institutional bases of civil society
and their lasting links to American counterparts, USAID and IREX
hope to make a substantial contribution to the development of
democratic norms and free market economies in the two countries.
The head of the IPP Moscow office supervises a team of three Russian
nationals. They jointly monitor and support 16 of the project's 22
partnerships. The value of the grants to the US-Russian partnerships
is approximately $25 million. The position is one of major substance
and importance to IREX and to USAID.
The Moscow Representative reports to the Project Director in
Washington, but works and coordinates closely with the main Moscow
office of IREX. Projects are scattered across the 11 time zones,
from Magadan and Yakutsk to Pskov and St. Petersburg, so that a good
deal of oversight travel is necessary. Key components of the
position include: close collaboration with the Russian and US
partners to help them communicate well and cohere in common purpose;
and management of the professional relationship with the USAID
Mission in Moscow.
Excellent Russian speaking and writing skills are indispensable to
success in this position. Experience in exchanges and training
management, particularly with respect to non-government
organizations, is highly desirable. Promising candidates will have
at least two years of living and working experience in Russia.
Administrative ability and patience are essential. Broad general
knowledge and adaptability are desirable, given the range of areas
in which the partnerships work, from agribusiness to urban housing,
and from medical training to aquaculture. IREX is an Equal
Opportunity Employer.
Candidates are encouraged to make their interest known to IREX as
soon as possible by mail to IREX/IPP, 1616 H St., NW, Washington, DC
20006, or by facsimile at (202) 628-9818.