Policies and practices of family planning programme: differences in outcomes at local authorities in Tanzania

Principal researcher

Mackfallen G. Anasel

Type of research

PhD Research

Supervisors

Professor Dr. Inge Hutter

Dr. Hinke Haisma

Summary

Tanzania has the lowest levels of contraceptive use in eastern and southern Africa. Despite following the same policies all over the country in implementing family planning program nevertheless, there are significant differences in contraceptives use rates among regions and districts; some has prevalence above the national average and other below the national average. In some regions, contraceptive use percentage is almost five times as high as in the region with the lowest percent 50 against 10 for modern methods and 65 against 12 for any method, Kilimanjaro and Mara respectively.

Recently the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare sets new targets in National Family Planning Costed Implementation Programme (NFPCIP) 2010-1015 as a link with Health Sector Strategic Planning (HSSP III) 2009-2015. Initially HSSP III has target of increasing the contraceptive use from 20% to 30% by year 2015. However, one year later NFPCIP come out with target to increase the contraceptive use among women of reproductive age from 28% to 60% by 2015. Moreover, most of studies conducted in Tanzania were focusing on determinants of contraceptive use by looking on individual behaviour and leave behind the institutional arrangement in family planning provision. Moreover, the role-played by policy in fostering the contraceptives use is another area that is little researched. There limited comparatives researches on the extent government policies contributed in contraceptives use done. Furthermore, there no any research identifies the reasons why some regions/districts are performing better than others do when it comes to implementation of family planning program. Considering such experiences, the purpose of this study is to enlighten why some region are performing better than others are when it comes in implementation of family planning program.