National Family Planning Programs: A Guide

A personal preliminary guide to the implementation of family planning in developing countries is presented. The initial strategy should be to bring family planning to the people who are initially motivated i.e. already want it and gradually build the momentum to recruit the target population which should not include all people. In many areas euphemistic terms must be substituted for the ideas of planning and control. In most cases the program must be taken to the people using mass media contact field workers and midwives. Informational content of programs should stress the why and the how of family planning. Field workers should be carefully trained not be patronizing and should be acceptable to the public. The medical public should be informed supporters of the program and should be included in the subsidizing of supplies. Aim at a budget of at least $.05us per capita per year for the normal program. Consider 10% of the budget the fist year is success.