FAMILY PLANNING KAMPONGS VITAL TO IMPROVING FAMILY WELFARE by Fardah

Jakarta, June 22, 2017 (Antara) - The Family Planning (FP) Program holds significance for Indonesia, as the country has a population of over 250 million, or is the world's fourth-most populated nation after China, India, and the US.

          From 1970s to the early 2000s, the Indonesian government had intensified the FP program to stem population growth, as the country's fertility rate was rather high at that time.

         With a strong political will, determination, and hard work, Indonesia had one of the strongest and most successful national FP initiatives in the world during the period.

         The country had managed to double its contraceptive prevalence rate to nearly 60 percent between 1976 and 2002 and halved its fertility rate from 5.6 to 2.6 children per woman.

         Indonesia was a leader in the FP program and viewed as a role model by developing countries.

         However, following the country's major political reform, the FP program seemed have to slowed down. 
    To revitalize the FP program, in 2016, the Joko Widodo administration came out with several strategies, including by establishing the so-called FP Kampongs or FP Communities.

        More than merely providing easy access to contraceptives for married couples, its goals are also to increase the welfare of Indonesian families through the FP program, increasing societal awareness on the population condition in Indonesia, and to ensure that every family in Indonesia can pursue its life goals.

        A FP kampong is a village or hamlet where there is a systematic and systemic integration of FP, population, and family development programs.

        The programs not only seek to limit the population but also to eradicate poverty and bring development closer to the community.

         Integrated services related to family planning services, identity card and birth certificate application, road and bridge construction projects, community health posts, and early education programs are offered at these kampongs.

        The program is aimed at improving the quality of small families and is expected to become an icon of the agency's family development program.

         The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) has set a target to develop 7,166 FP kampongs across the country, or one in each sub-district.

         Since the program was launched by President Widodo on January 14, 2016, at least 633 FP kampongs have, so far, been established, according to a statement made by the BKKBN recently.

         Every province has supported the program and is determined to help achieve the national target.

         East Kalimantan Province, for instance, has set up 45 FP kampongs as part of its efforts to have at least one in every sub-district this year.

        "East Kalimantan has 109 sub-districts. Some 45 FP kampongs have been set up, or around 40 percent of the target," Eli Kusnaeli, head of the East Kalimanan population and family planning office, said on June 20, 2017.

       Kusnaeli is optimistic that the target of setting up FP kampongs in 109 sub-districts spread across 10 districts would be achieved.

       South Sumatra's Population and Family Planning Office (BKKBN) is also in the process of establishng a FP kampong in every sub-district this year to help increase the number of family planning (participants and improve access to medical services.

         In line with the national target, every district had a FP kampong in 2016, and this year, the target is to have one in every sub-district, Waspi, head of the South Sumatra BKKBN, stated in Palembang, recently.

        "The response of district and city administrations has been very positive towards this program. They were enthusiastic in establishing such kampongs. We can say that we have reached 92 percent of the target," he noted.

         Last year, South Sumatra had reached only 77 percent of its target with regard to the number of FP participants due to relatively high dropouts.

       "It means that the interest in joining the FP program is quite high, but there are plenty of dropouts, as they had no access to routine family planning and medical services. However, with the establishment of FP kampongs, the public will receive free and routine services," he remarked.

        The FP kampong program will encourage married couples to use long-term contraceptives, such as implants and spirals.

        Based on a survey of the Indonesian health demography, the total fertility rate (TFR) in Indonesia is 2.8 births per woman.

        The TFR at 2.8 demonstrates that the implementation of FP program in Indonesia remains stagnant.

        The Joko Widodo administration has set a target of TFR at 2.3 this year, while South Sumatra's target is 2.4.

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(f001/INE)
EDITED BY INE

(T.F001/A/BESSR/F. Assegaf) 22-06-2017