Evaluation of the Jamaican family planning program, 1974

UNTIL RECENTLY, THE PROGRAM WAS CONFINED ESSENTIALLY TO A CLINIC-ORIENTED "FAMILY PLANNING" APPROACH. WITH THE ADVENT OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AIDES, THE CONCEPT OF OUTREACH FUNCTIONARIES BECAME ESTABLISHED, AND FAMILY PLANNING BECAME ONE OF THE FIVE MAJOR TASKS OF THESE MULTIPURPOSE OUTREACH WORKERS. WHILE PROGRAM SUCCESS HAS BEEN LIMITED IN TERMS OF CONTINUING ACCEPTORS AND IMPACT TO DATE ON NATIONAL FERTILITY STATISTICS, THE PROCESS OF INSTITUTION BUILDING BY THE RELEVANT GOVERNMENT, ACADEMIC, AND PRIVATE AGENCIES INVOLVED HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY THE PROGRESSIVE ACQUISITION OF THE POLITICAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES REQUIRED IN ORDER THAT SELF-SUFFICIENCY MAY ULTIMATELY BE ATTAINED. IN SPITE OF OBSTACLES, SOME PROGRESS IN BUILDING NATIONAL AWARENESS OF THE PROGRAM HAS ALSO BEEN MADE. MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE, CHIEFLY IN ASSISTING PEOPLE TO LINK FAMILY PLANNING GOALS TO THEIR OWN PERSONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL MOTIVATIONS. THE EVALUATORS BELIEVE THAT BILATERAL, MULTILATERAL, AND PRIVATE DONOR ASSISTANCE SHOULD ALL CONTINUE, BUT BETTER COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION AMONG THE RESPONSIBLE AGENCIES AS WELL AS WITH RECIPIENT INSTITUTIONS IS REQUIRED IF THEIR POTENTIAL FOR EFFECTIVE AID IS TO BE REALIZED. THE EVALUATORS MADE 54 PROGRAM-SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS.