By Our Web Desk
The present overwhelming challenges to the reproductive health and well-being of the Some of the greatest barriers that women face in accessing reproductive, maternal, and child health services are a lack of health education, limited and costly transportation, distance, lack of support from their husbands, reluctance to see male service providers, and low quality public services that engender mistrust. Additionally, rumors and myths about FP methods persist, lowering public confidence in services.
PWD Punjab ‘s funded activities have deepened the understanding of beliefs, attitudes, and factors influencing the uptake of reproductive, maternal and child health services. The development of an evidence-based strategy to improve health-seeking behaviors and service uptake in order to decrease morbidity and mortality rates in Punjab. Utilizing multiple, mutually reinforcing messaging approaches have contributed to the effectiveness of social and behavior change activities.
Interpersonal Communication
The study found that women prefer face-to-face, interpersonal communication, and their trust in family welfare workers and reproductive health motivators is high. Motivators/ Mobilisers meet women where they naturally gather and initiate small group discussions. Community staff visits women in their homes one-on-one, and when possible, engage in family or couples’ discussions. Visual aids and other print materials enhance their communication with lactating women and new mothers and those who wish to adopt family planning.
Radio Campaigns
Radio has high listenership in Punjab particularly in rural areas where literacy rates are low, and internet access is limited. To reach rural audiences, the project produced and aired more than 250 radio messages promoting key health behaviors, such as the importance of early and exclusive breastfeeding, antenatal care, postnatal care, immunization, family planning, and other topics. These radio spots aired on hundreds of FM channels round the year reaching an audience of approximately millions of people, with crucial information to keep families safe and healthy.
Engaging Religious Leaders to Reach Men
In communities, Imams (religious leaders) are trusted and respected figures and key influencers. Religious leaders play an influential role in the construction of social and gender norms, and have the potential to foster positive norms that support healthy reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health behaviors.
According to the research, husbands are commonly the decision makers for family planning, antenatal care, and other health services. As such, reaching men with critical health information during Friday prayers acts is an important approach. Working with the project, the imams helped clarify misperceptions related to community members highlighted healthy practices, like birth spacing and breastfeeding, affirmed by Quranic verses.
To increase their knowledge on
The significance of own circle of relatives planning, vaccination, antenatal care, and meals that enhance the fitness of moms and children, in addition to explanation of spiritual perceptions of reproductive and maternal fitness. After the training, the Imams dedicated time in two Friday speeches at their mosques to address issues like child spacing (waqfa) and to advocate for positive changes in life. These speeches were attended by hundreds of people. The imams also discussed these issues during small interactive gatherings where trust could be built more.
Between January – December 2023, 1300 Imams & khateebs reached over thousands of people, equipping them to make better decisions about their families’ health through Friday sermons and community awareness sessions. Based on this experience, the Imams expressed keen interest in expanding the program to other districts and to engage religious leaders on a macro level. They also requested training on additional health topics to add to their sermons and discussions.
School Health sessions
To engage young people as advocates for healthy behaviors, the department prioritized reaching adolescent female students in secondary schools. The average age of marriage for a woman in Punjab stands 18 years , so these students will be wives and mothers later in life.
They can also share information with their peers and families. In close coordination with the school administration and nutritionists / psychologists & experts engaged fellow students in health-related discussions by creating wall coverings, acting out puppet theater performances, and creating quiz games. The school health sessions not only raised awareness among female students, but provided essential first aid materials. The awareness activities reached almost 20,000 female students and will help prevent future maternal health problems in the community.
Involving college students in those consciousness elevating sports has helped to reinforce understanding and wholesome practices in faculties and their surrounding communities. Female secondary faculty college students additionally have the cappotential to steer their friends and families, main to the switch of understanding from colleges to families and communities. Digital & social apps based Communication to increase FP methods uptake, the population welfare dept pilot-tested text messages, FP methods reminders through WhatsApp groups of clients per Family welfare center established at grass root level.
The staff sends reminders to clients on daily basis encouraging timely methods intake. Studies have shown that a behavioral nudge delivered through texts reminders can increase adherence to methods intake schedules. Additionally, trained outreach staff follow up with husbands regarding services and uninterrupted supplies of methods free of cost at door-step levels.
Outcomes
The use of these varied and multi-level social and behavior change approaches has helped to change the health-seeking behaviors of individuals and communities in Punjab and improved the norms that underpin those behaviors.
By understanding family and gender dynamics, community norms, economic realities, and perceived risks, the project was able to employ interventions that were accepted by the community, increasing the uptake of reproductive health services and leading to better outcomes for couples, mothers and families. Population Welfare Dept Punjab supports lifesaving reproductive, maternal, and child health services and a stronger health system to reach the most vulnerable population. – PUNA
