Repro-Briefs: Family Planning in Nepal and Other International News

09.07.2010 By Robin Marty, RH Reality Check

Repro-Briefs has taken a trip across the globe to bring the latest international news in reproductive health.

Iran has begun to make some advances in maternal mortality, but is still averaging one death per day due to pregnancy-related causes. The Tehran Times reports:

In 1990 the rate of maternal mortality was considered 91 for every one hundred thousand pregnant women while in 2009 the rate reduced to 34, the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) officials reported on Sunday.

During a press conference, the officials noted that Iran has made a remarkable achievement in some areas, one is maternal health, but unfortunately still according to national data available, every day one Iranian woman dies because of pregnancy or birth-related complications. So, this is not acceptable not only for Iran but also for the world that in the 21st century a woman dies each day.

MDG officials stated that concerning the maternal mortality there is a clear improvement in the country and this is due to the health care policy during the last thirty years.

It is a very significant improvement. However it is not exactly the improvement that is mentioned in the Millennium Development Goals, because the objective is to reduce the rate by three quarters from 1990 to 2015.

In Nepal, family planning is saving lives with reproductive health screenings, safe abortions and contraceptive options. My Republica reminds us of how valuable family planning services can be in poor communities throughout the world.

Nepal Family Planning Association, Jadibuti branch, has provided free family planning service to 20,495 people from the poor, backward, indigenous and Dalit communities through its 35 clinics this year.
The branch has provided Depo-Provera to 14,462 persons, pills to 3,636 persons, condoms to 2,140 persons, Norplant service to 69 women and recannalization of vas deferens fo 39 males who had undergone vasectomy surgery, according to Managing Director of the branch Sarad Kumar Aryal.

The branch has started male vasectomy service from this year and nine persons have already received the service within a month. Within a year, 648 women took safe abortion facility at the clinics.

Similarly, 8,430 women availed pregnancy test service, 5,650 got treatment for sexual diseases and 1,607 received other facilities. The center provided reproductive health education to 14,842 persons, sexual rights and reproductive health education to 900 Dalits and counseling to 64,005 persons. Likewise, the branch also organized free HIV test programme for labours and transport entrepreneurs. Over 25,100 benefited from the service.