Dr. Tahira Sahar, City Manager for TCI in Pakistan, presents at the 14th Public Health Conference in Islamabad.
The Challenge Initiative (TCI) highlighted key learnings from supporting local governments in implementing high-impact interventions (HIIs) at the prestigious 14th Public Health Conference, hosted by the Health Services Academy in Islamabad in November 2024.
All 17 abstracts submitted by the TCI team, comprising four oral presentations and 13 posters, were accepted for presentation. This influential conference brings together leading public health experts, researchers, policymakers, government officials, private sector stakeholders, and development partners to explore critical issues in public health.
A key focus is integrating theory-driven, evidence-based, and locally-led social and behavior cange (SBC) solutions into health programs. At the conference, TCI shared field insights, data-driven evidence, and innovative implementation strategies, contributing to discussions on strengthening SBC approaches for better public health outcomes. Their presentations covered core themes, including:
- Integrating SBC into health systems strengthening
- Transforming social and gender norms to improve health outcomes
- Leveraging technology for SBC programs
TCI shares its knowledge and leanings in such events to collaborate with other global health experts and contribute to the evidence base with approaches that can drive meaningful, sustainable change in public health.
Highlights from TCI’s Presentations
TCI staff and government officials are recognized for their participation in the conference.
1. Using Family Health Melas for Social Behavior Change Communication and Family Planning, Enhancing Community Engagement in District Faislabad Author – Dr. Sidra Hussain Family health melas (community health events) have proven effective in reaching women of reproductive age and promoting family planning. TCI, in collaboration with local governments, has successfully implemented these events in urban slum areas. With TCI’s technical assistance and funding, these interventions improve reproductive health access and encourage positive behavioral shifts.
2. A Comparative Analysis: Impact of Facility Makeovers on Outpatient Department and Family Planning Clients in Districts of Sindh Author – Irum Imran Upgrading healthcare infrastructure significantly improves service delivery and accessibility. This study analyzed the impact of facility makeovers (FMO) on outpatient department (OPD) visits and family planning service utilization uptake in health centers. Data analysis revealed a significant increase in patient visits and contraceptive use at FMO facilities compared to non-FMO centers, highlighting the importance of infrastructure investments in public health.
3. An Operational Study on TCI Coaching Model: Building Capacity and Strengthening Family Planning Service Provision Among Local Government Staff in Pakistan Author – Farah Amin TCI’s “Lead, Assist, Observe” Coaching Model equips local government staff with the skills needed for effective family planning service provision. With 654 Master Coaches delivering over 11,000 coaching sessions across 15 districts, nearly 50,000 coaches have been trained, fostering government collaboration and ensuring long-term improvements in Pakistan’s family planning landscape.
4. Male Involvement: A Missing Link in Pakistan Family Planning Programs Author – Khubaib Kayani Despite ongoing family planning efforts, male involvement remains limited due to cultural norms and service delivery challenges. Discussion with key stakeholders revealed that allowing men into facilities could improve engagement. This study explores how training service providers and targeted family planning capacity-building sessions on family planning communication and gender sensitivity can encourage male participation and create a more inclusive environment.
5. Profiling the Contraceptive Market for Married Women in Pakistan Author – Junaid Ur Rehman Siddique This study quantifies the demand and unmet need for modern family planning among married women of reproductive age in Pakistan. Using PDHS 2017-18 data, this study estimates that 21.9 million women who currently do not intend to use family planning could be converted into users, contributing toward Pakistan’s 2025 family planning goals. Out of 57.6 million women, 8.6 million are currently using modern family planning, while 4.1 million have a need but do not intend to use it. Targeted counseling could increase adoption, helping meet 71% of the national goal.
6. Impact of TCI on LARC Client Volumes in Public Facilities Author – Junaid Ur Rehman Siddique Analysis of Contraceptive Logistics Management Information System (CLMIS) data (2020-2024) revealed a substantial increase in long-acting reproductive contraceptive (LARC) insertions across six districts. Monthly LARC insertions rose by 733 in Punjab and 577 in Islamabad, with notable increases in specific districts reinforcing the effectiveness of TCI-supported interventions in expanding family planning access and enhancing service accessibility.
7. Sustainable Institutionalization of High-Impact Family Planning Interventions with Local Government Author – Amber Baloach TCI is advancing family planning in Pakistan through government partnerships, fostering local ownership of HIIs by embedding them into public health systems, and building leadership for long-term sustainability. Training officials, strengthening local family planning policies, and establishing collaborations have enhanced family planning service delivery and policy execution.
Farah Amin, City Manager for TCI in Pakistan, presents at the conference.
8. Dedicated Family Health Day for Family Planning Services in Faisalabad Author – Tanzil ur Rehman In collaboration with the Population Welfare Department and the Department of Health, TCI introduced Family Health Days at Basic Health Units (BHUs) to expand family planning services, mainly focusing on LARCs. The initiative increased family planning clients from 82 to 151 per month, demonstrating its effectiveness in cost-efficient, sustainable healthcare delivery.
9. Impact of The Challenge Initiative (TCI) on Increasing Additional Users for Modern Family Planning across 15 Urban Districts in Pakistan. Author – Junaid-Ur-Rehman Siddiqui Since June 2022, TCI has provided 678,200 family planning clients with modern contraceptives, generating 238,329 additional family planning users. 60% chose short-term methods, 35% opted for LARCs, and 5% opted for permanent methods. By strengthening government capacity, advocacy, and outreach, TCI ensures a sustainable impact on family planning services and plays a crucial role in achieving Pakistan’s FP2030 targets.
10. Advocacy with District Government to Dispel Family Planning Myths & and Misconceptions among Males by Offering Focused Family Planning Counselling Services through Male Counters at Basis Health Units in District Rawalpindi Author – Tanzil Ur Rehman In Pakistan, 98% of family planning procedures are performed on women, with only 2% on men, largely due to misinformation and limited counseling services. TCI, in collaboration with district leadership in Rawalpindi, established Male Counters at 14 BHUs, offering focused family planning counseling. This intervention led to 2,424 vasectomies (January–August 2024), addressing misconceptions and encouraging male engagement in family planning decisions. Increasing male family planning engagement through targeted counseling is crucial to improving Pakistan’s 34% Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR).
11. Focused Family Planning Counseling Services for Increasing Intra-uterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) Uptake in a Government Facility in District Gujranwala. Author – Tanzil Ur Rehman Pakistan’s CPR is 34%. With IUCD adoption at only 35%, TCI collaborated with health authorities in Gujranwala to implement HIIs, focusing on counseling for long-acting contraceptives. TCI-trained Community Health Workers to provide informed counseling on postpartum family planning (PPFP). A targeted counseling camp resulted in a record IUCD uptake of 92 insertions in two days, highlighting the power of effective client education.
12. E-Learning Resource “TCI-University” for Health Staff Capacity Building Author – Tanzil ur Rehman TCI-University (TCI-U) is revolutionizing health staff training by offering certified e-learning courses on family planning best practices. Government staff receive additional e-learning training on critical areas like postpartum family planning and community health. With 654 Master Coaches trained and 151 professionals earning TCI-U certificates over the past two years, digital learning is enhancing healthcare workforce capacity, reducing reliance on printed materials, and improving healthcare training accessibility.
13. How Re-regularization of Data for Decision Making (D4D) is Supporting the Local Government to Track the Progress and Strengthen the Supply Chain Management System at Facility Levels – Specific to Family Planning Services in Pakistan Author – Tanzil ur Rehman TCI’s Data for Decision Making (D4D) approach ensures real-time tracking of contraceptive supply and service trends. This approach helps track contraceptive records, analyze data gaps, and improve facility performance. In collaboration with the district government, 80 D4D training sessions have been held, training 981 staff to accurately record data in the CLMIS, and leading to more efficient programming, accurate forecasting, and improved decision-making in health and family planning services.
