Integrated services
Integration of reproductive health services for men in health and family welfare centers in Bangladesh
Including men's reproductive health in family planning services proves cost-effective in Bangladesh
Authors:
; Frontiers in Reproductive Health
Publisher:
Population Council, USA, 2004
This paper from the Population Council reports on a project in Bangladesh which integrated male reproductive health services into traditionally female-focused health and family welfare centres. Training was given to service providers on male reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This involved general awareness raising, guidance on the use of behaviour change communications materials, and adopting the syndromic (clinical diagnosis) approach to delivering RTI and STI services. Findings showed that the intervention increased the number of male STI and RTI clients from one per month to five per month. The number of male clients attending the clinic for all health problems increased threefold. There was also a substantial increase in the number of female RTI and STI clients.
The paper concludes that incorporating male reproductive health services into female-focused family planning programmes does not discourage women from attending clinics, and actually increases take-up of services from both sexes. An added benefit was that service providers increased their technical knowledge about male reproductive health problems, particularly with regard to STIs and RTIs. Overall, the intervention increased usage of facilities which in turn decreased the costs of treatment, thereby enabling more effective use of resources.
