One of the key objectives of the DRC government's Strategic Plan for Family Planning 2014-2020 is to increase government engagement in family planning, including line-item allocations to fund the purchase of contraceptives within the government's internal budget. Specifically, objective 1.2 relates to national and provincial-level budgeting for contraceptives, which the government included in its document, accompanying the Strategic Plan, Results to Attain in 2014. Previously, little financial commitment was made on the part of the central government, and there was no specific plan for how the government would provide FP methods, which have historically been heavily provided by donors and outside organizations. However, there has been recent progress on this front as the government takes concrete steps towards its objectives. Most recently, this progress took the form of the purchase and delivery of a wide variety of contraceptive products to be distributed across the country.
Contraceptives purchased through funds from the DRC government have arrived and were delivered to PNSR on 7th of July 2015. The Congolese government allocated $300,000 USD to purchase a total of 277,160 contraceptives, including costs of transport. These include oral-contraceptives, progestin injections, feminine condoms, IUDs, and cyclebeads. The contraceptives were planned to be distributed among three provinces: Kinshasa (150,730), Kongo-Central (63,215), and Bandundu (63,215). A detailed table of the distribution plan is located below. The first lot has already been received, while the government is waiting for a second lot of products to arrive in-country.
An official ceremony marked the arrival and the start of distribution of the first lot of contraceptive products from Kinshasa to the provinces. The event included stakeholders from PNSR and the staff of partner organizations. Photos of this event are below.
Distribution Plan of Government Purchased Contraceptives | ||||
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Type | Kinshasa | K. Central | Bandundu | Total |
MYCROGINON (CYCLE) | 47,520 | 23,760 | 23,760 | 95,040 |
MYCROLUT (CYCLE) | 23,760 | 11,880 | 11,880 | 47,520 |
NORLEVO (1 TAB/BOX) | 1200 | 1200 | 1200 | 3600 |
DEPO PROVERA (VIAL) | 43,500 | 43,500 | 7250 | 58,000 |
FEM. CONDOM (PIECE) | 13,000 | 10,000 | 10,000 | 33,000 |
IUD (PIECE) | 5250 | 875 | 875 | 7000 |
CYCLEBEADS (PIECE) | 16,500 | 8,250 | 8250 | 33,000 |
Total | 150,730 | 63,215 | 63,215 | 277,160 |
Commitment | Current Stage | Challenges Faced |
---|---|---|
The government included family planning among the 6 high impact priority interventions in the context of accelerating MDGs 4 and 5 | In progress: The framework for the acceleration of MDGs 4 & 5 through FP as a high-impact priority intervention is in the course of being popularized | |
An official declaration was made in favor of FP. | Complete: The Congolese government made an official statement in favor of the PF at the International Conference on Family Planning held in 2013 in Addis Ababa | |
As part of its health service capital project (PESS), the government promised to disburse $300,000 for the purchase of contraceptives | Complete: The government disbursed in 2013 the amount of $300,000 for the purchase of contraceptives | |
The government has promised to disburse an amount of $ 1200000 for the second purchase of contraceptives | Incomplete: The funds are not yet disbursed. | The governmnet’s precondition for disbursement of $1200000 is the actual arrival of the first batch of purchased contraceptives |
The prime minister pledged to sponsor the 3rd Conference for repositioning FP in DRC | Complete: The government officially hosted the 3rd Conference for Repositioning FP in Kinshasa from 3-5 December 2015. |