APHA CONSULTANT REPORT ON THE SECOND EVALUATION OF THE NATIONAL FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM IN THAILAND, 1972-1976

A MEETING SHOULD BE ARRANGED BETWEEN THIS EVALUATION TEAM AND THAILAND'S MINISTRY OF PUBLIC HELATH (MOPH) AND THE NATIONAL FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM (NFPP) COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS REPORT. THE DEMOGRAPHIC GOAL OF THE THIRD PLAN (1972-76) WAS ACHIEVED, AND THE POPULATION GROWTH RATE FELL FROM OVER 3% PER ANNUM IN 1972 TO 2.4-2.7% PER ANNUM IN 1976. THE NFPP HAS BEEN A SUCCESS, ESPECIALLY THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: 1)EXTENSION OF FAMILY PLANNING (FP) SERVICES TO 2 MILLION FERTILE THAI WOMEN IN OVER 5000 SERVICE UNITS; 2)DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE SERVICE DELIVERY MECHANISMS; &3)INCREASE IN LEVEL OF CONCERN FOR RAPID POPULATION GROWTH AS A HIGH GOVERNMENT PRIORITY. FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, ONLY THOSE NEW ACCEPTORS WHO NEVER PRACTICED FP BEFORE, SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS HAVING A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE REDUCTION OF THE POPULATION GROWTH RATE. THE DUPLICATION OF NEW ACCEPTORS SHOULD BE ELIMINATED IN THE RECORDING SYSTEM, AND UNTIL THIS IS DONE, CURRENT ACCEPTOR RATES AND TARGETS SHOULD BE DISCOUNTED BY 20%. THE NFPP SHOULD REVIEW AND REVISE CERTAIN POLICIES & REGULATIONS STILL IN CONFLICT WITH THE NATIONAL POPULATION POLICY. SOME CONFLICTING POLICIES INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING: A)PROHIBITION OF ADVERTISING OF CONTRACEPTIVES THROUGH THE MASS MEDIA; B)INCLUSION OF ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES ON THAILAND'S "DANGEROUS DRUG LIST" & THE RESTRICTION ON THEIR DISPENSATION; C)ECONOMIC INCENTIVES FOR THAI GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO HAVE LARGE FAMILIES; &D)IMPORT DUTIES ON CONTRACEPTIVES. THE NFPP SHOULD IMPROVE ITS POLICY-MAKING PROCESS AND SHOULD COORDINATE ITSELF WITH THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR. THE PRICING POLICY FOR CONTRACEPTIVES SHOULD BE REVIEWED BY NFPP. FOREIGN ASSISTANCE SHOULD CONTINUE BUT ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT SUPPORT MUST ALSO INCREASE. NFPP SHOULD ESTABLISH A COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONAL PLANNING PROCESS & A RESEARCH COORDINATING BODY.A MOBILE STERILIZATION UNIT SHOULD BE BASED IN EACH PROVINCE TO MEET THE STERILIZATION DEMAND. NFPP TRAINING NEEDS TO BE REVISED BY INCREASING STAFF, ASSIGNING FULL-TIME NURSE TRAINERS TO EACH PROVINCE, UTILIZING NON-MOPH SOURCES FOR TRAINING, OR REDUCING THE TRAINING PLAN.