Vijan Shaban explains the different family planning methods during a routine
mentorship.
Vijan Shaban is a nurse working in the maternity ward in Morogoro Municipal Council (MC) in Tanzania who passionately advocates for postpartum family planning (PPFP). One day while working in the ward, Vijan experienced a heartbreaking, yet preventable, incident that forever changed her perspective. After witnessing the tragic death of a woman, she discovered the woman had barely recovered from her previous pregnancy before finding herself pregnant again. The closely spaced births of her children did not allow the mother sufficient time to recover and regain her strength. It became evident to Vijan that a lack of proper nourishment and care contributed to the unfortunate outcome.
Determined to prevent such tragedies in the future, Vijan dedicated herself to advocating for better family planning practices. When The Challenge Initiative (TCI) came to Morogoro MC in January 2022, Vijan was among the first to receive coaching on PPFP. TCI supports local governments in implementing PPFP, a high-impact practice that has been proven to improve health outcomes for women and adolescent girls.
A mentorship session during a facility in-reach.
With new knowledge and insights, Vijan sought further mentorship to refine her skills. As her career progressed, she strengthened her PPFP advocacy efforts and she now serves as a mentor and coach. As the District Reproductive Health Coordinator (DRCHCO) for Morogoro MC, she continues her journey as a dedicated advocate.
The Tanzanian government made PPFP a strategic priority within the National Family Planning Costed Implementation Plan (2019-2023) with Morogoro MC identified as a region for intensified PPFP efforts.
Before TCI engaged Morogoro MC, PPFP interventions were not prioritized due to skills gaps, leading to missed opportunities for timely information and services. Now, education on family planning begins at the Reproductive Child Health (RCH) unit during antenatal visits and continues at the labor ward. With TCI’s support, more than 10 healthcare providers were trained on postpartum family planning in Morogoro MC in July 2022. These providers received theoretical and practical training, including hands-on sessions with mentors or skilled facilitators.
As a result, 20 facilities now offer PPFP services. Data from the District Health Information Survey shows an increase in postpartum family planning uptake from 16% in 2021 to 42% in 2023 (see chart below).
Deliveries compared with the number of PPFP clients – before and after TCI-supported training (from DHIS2).
With TCI’s support, an additional 60 healthcare providers at RCH and labor wards are now trained in both PPFP skills and messaging. Moreover, participants are utilizing WhatsApp for Reproductive Health Coordinators to share updates and data on PPFP for each delivery health facility. Mentors are also still at work offering continuous support quarterly.
In addition, a budget allocation of USD $5,700 was made towards increasing PPFP coverage. Community health workers also routinely promote PPFP and educate mothers during household visits.
While much remains to be done, Vijan’s dedication and support from TCI have led to more women benefiting from PPFP counseling and services in Morogoro MC.
