The INFO Project Blog

For our Elements of Successful Family Planning Web site, we are talking to experts about what they feel the most important components of good programs are. While in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina for the Science Blogging 2008 conference, I caught up with several excellent sources of information on this topic at Family Health International world HQ, on an unremarkable strip of Highway 54. Unfortunately, INFO’s video camera was not working, so the audio recording of the conversations is what will go up on the Media Library of the Family Planning Success Web site when it launches later this month.

Here is a sneak preview of my conversation with Dr. John Stanback, Senior Research Associate for Family Health International. Dr. Stanback on Community-Based Distribution of Injectables.

In this clip, he argues in favor of providing injectable contraception without prescriptions from rural drug shops, based on his experience studying the way this works in Uganda.

CBDs [community based distributors] are typically para-medicals that have received a little bit of training; much less then a medical professional or anyone with clinical training. So far it seems that the CBDs can do just as good a job, if they are properly trained, as the nurses… If it can be made safe, it would be great opportunity to improve access.

Click here to hear from Dr. Stanback’s colleague Dr. Irina Yacobson, talking about the importance of well-trained family planning staff.