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Table 4 Intervention components

From: Engaging with community-based public and private mid-level providers for promoting the use of modern contraceptive methods in rural Pakistan: results from two innovative birth spacing interventions

 

Intervention items

Description

Inclusion in Suraj model

Inclusion in CMW model

Control

1

Training on reproductive health/family planning and post training evaluation

Medical: reproductive health and family planning, counselling, quality of services, and IUD insertion and removal; Business: basic budgeting skills, record keeping, stock management, branding (excluded for CMW), marketing, and the voucher management (excluded for CMW). The training was followed by post training evaluation conducted by an external consultant (a senior medical doctor).

Yes

Yes

No

2

Female community mobilizer (FCM)

An FCM was also a local resident of the community; she underwent training on FP methods, voucher distribution system, and data recording. She paid door to door visits, raised awareness, generated referrals and distributed vouchers for the IUD to eligible women, identified through poverty scale.

Yes

Yes

No

Each service provider was complemented with one FCM

3

Male community mobilizers (MCM)

An MCM was a local resident of the district; he underwent training and was responsible to target male community members. He formed community support groups which comprised key community stakeholders and conducted frequent Mohallah (locality) meetings

Yes

Yes

No

There is one MCM per 10 service providers in a district

4

Voucher for long- term contraceptive method (Intra- uterine device)

A voucher was worth PK Rs 200 (US$2.27) and only for IUD (insertion, follow-up and removal). A voucher may be redeemed at Suraj clinic; later the reimbursement was sent to the provider against her claim. Free voucher provision was based on a wealth based poverty assessment tool which was managed by the Field Community Mobilizers in the field before distributing vouchers. The said tool ask questions about wealth status including household structure, number of household members, number of meals, number of dependent members, sanitation, access to reproductive health services, daily household income, source of fuel used for cooking, source of drinking water. Clients received a voucher if their score fell between the minimum score of 9 and 20 (inclusive) on a scale of 27.

Yes

No

No

5

Branding/Marketing

Providers were branded ‘Suraj’ clinics while marketing was done through FCMs, posters, wall paintings, leaflets, etc. The ‘Suraj’ logo was displayed prominently in Urdu outside all clinics.

Yes

No

No