Contraceptive supplies

The MOH"s Maternal Child Health/FP (MCH/FP) Division will implement the project. The project will provide a full supply of contraceptives (orals, condoms, foaming tablets, and IUD"s) for the MOH to sell at an affordable price at its 10 national/regional, 68 district, and 306 clinic sites. Project funds will not provide for abortions. During the project, the MCH/FP Division will expand its voluntary sterilization services and will teach natural FP as a contraceptive method. Quarterly reports on the number of clients served and on stock availability from service sites and national and regional warehouses will improve management of the distribution system. A wide-ranging training program will support project efforts. This will include: (1) short-term, in-country training of 20 central/regional trainers who will in turn train 40 district trainers and provide refresher training to 564 general clinic personnel, 846 MOH outreach, and 2,115 volunteer health regional workers; (2) short-term courses for 50 gynecologists and 75 nurse-midwives; (3) U.S. Master of Public Health training for 3 regional health administrators or physicians; and (4) observation tours for 50 selected leaders or trainers. In addition, a Johns Hopkins University (JHU) team will help the MCH/FP Division revise curricula for medical nursing, midwifery, community and reproductive health, and FP. At least 50% of the service providers at MOH clinics will be trained/retrained under this component. Specialists from JHU will help the MCH/FP develop a culturally sensitive, multimedia information, education, and communication (IE&C) strategy stressing the health and economic benefits of child spacing. A Ghanaian distribution company will mount an AID-supplied CSM program. The authorized retail sales network will be strengthened, and retailer performance enhanced, by a CSM training program to inform retailers of project requirements and to add some 3,000 new outlets.