Wellcome to National Portal
বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় তথ্য বাতায়ন
সরকারি অন্যান্য পোর্টাল দেখুন
মেনু নির্বাচন করুন
Main Comtent Skiped

এক নজরে

   

History

Bangladesh Family Planning Program evolved through a series of development phases that took place during the last 52 years. Family planning efforts in this country began in the early 1950s with voluntary efforts of a group of social and medical workers. Categorical FP program emerged during 1965-95 with the objective to control population growth as a strategy of economic development. The Family Planning Program in Bangladesh has undergone a number of transitional phases. The phases may be illustrated as follows:


Phase I : 1953-59: Voluntary and semi-government efforts

  • Family Planning Association initiated family planning program in 1953 as a voluntary effort.
  • The effort was limited to the small scale contraceptive distribution services in urban areas particularly through hospitals and clinics.


Phase ll : 1960-64: Government sponsored clinic-based Family Planning Program

  • In 1960 the government sponsored clinic-based family planning activities under health services started.
  • The Government set up a target of providing family planning services to 6.7 percent eligible couples and opened a family planning center in every hospital and Rural Dispensary.


Phase lll : 1965-70: Field-based Government Family Planning Program

  • The family planning program was launched throughout the country as a priority program.
  • A massive field oriented family planning program administered by a BOARD.
  • Full time field staff and part-time village organizers known as dai (a female village mid-wife) were recruited and trained to provide motivation and service close to the door-steps of the rural people.
  • Selected clinical and non-clinical methods offered.

(The program came to a standstill during the Liberation war in 1971.)


Phase IV : 1972-74: Integrated Health & Family Planning Program

  • Administrative process for decision-making was shifted from the autonomous Family Planning Board and the Council to the Ministry of Health and Family Planning.
  • Family planning services functionally integrated with health services at the field level.
  • Oral pill was introduced in the family planning program as a method of contraception.
  • The provision of part-time village level dais was abolished.


Phase V : 1975-80: Maternal and Child Health (MCH)-based Multi-sectoral Program

  • In August 1975, a separate Directorate of Family Planning and an independent Division of Population Control and Family Planning in the Ministry of Health were created.
  • A National Population Council - the highest policy making body - was constituted with the President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh as the chairman and development-concerned ministries as members.
  • A Central Co-ordination Committee was also formed with the Minister for Health and Family Planning as chairman and secretaries of concerned ministries as members to coordinate implementation and review progress of multi-sectoral population activities under different ministries.
  • In January 1976, the Government declared the rapid growth of population as the number-1 problem of the country.
  • In June 1976, the Government approved a National Population Policy outline.
  • Full-time male and female field functionaries were recruited on regular basis to cause a thrust of the MCH-FP program in rural Bangladesh.


Phase VI : 1980-85: Functionally Integrated Program

  • Delivery of MCH-FP services were functionally integrated with Health at Upazila level and below.
  • MCH-FP became also a function of health officials.
  • The National Population Council (NPC) was reconstituted into a high powered National Council for Population Control (NCPC) headed by the President of the Council of Ministers.
  • An Executive Committee headed by the Minister for Health and Population was formed.
  • An unified command had been established at the top by the merger of the two divisions of Health and Population Control under one Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Population Control.
  • Upazila Family Planning Committee had been formed to be chaired by the Chairman of Upazila Parishad for facilitating implementation of the program at the local level.


Phase VII: 1985-90: Intensive Family Planning Program

  • A broad-based multi-dimensional intensive MCH-based family planning program was launched.
  • Improved family planning and MCH services were provided.
  • Rapid FP- MCH infrastructural development by commissioning more service centers (Union Health & Family Welfare Centers---UH & FWC) in rural areas was initiated.
  • Unit-wise FWA registers were introduced for record keeping family planning and demographic events of households.
  • Satellite clinic - an outreach activity – was introduced to deliver MCH-FP services in remote & rural areas.
  • Involvement of community leaders and NGOs was increased.
  • Branch of National Council for Population Control was setup in each district under the chairmanship of District coordinator.
  • FP-MCH program as “Social Movement” was launched.


Phase VIII: 1990-95: Reduction of rapid growth of population through intensive service delivery and community participation

  • Expansion of MCH-FP service delivery with enhanced quality of care.
  • Increased resource allocation for program implementation.
  • Promoting family planning as an integral part of development activities through inter-sectoral collaboration.
  • Mobilizing community support and participation.
  • Increased involvement of NGOs and private sectors for supplementing and complementing government efforts.
  • Enhancing women’s status through education and participation in social, economic and political life.

(The Family Planning program had been implemented through an interim plan during 1995-97).


Phase IX: 1998-2003: Health and Population Sector Program (HPSP)

  • Health and Population Sector Program was introduced in 1998.
  • However, the government upon review, decided in January 2003 to reestablish separate organizational structures and authority for health and family planning as they existed before July 1998.


Phase X: 2003-2011: Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Program (HNPSP)
To overcome the multidimensional problems and to meet the challenge according to the spirit of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), the Government of Bangladesh launched the Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Program (HNPSP) in 2003. This aimed to reform the health and population sector. The program entails provision of a package of essential and quality health care services responsive to the needs of the people, especially those of children, women, elderly and the poor.