Counselor Priti Kumari supports family planning clients at the newly inaugurated District Hospital.
Priti Kumari is a family planning counselor with 12 years of experience at Patliputra Medical College and Hospital in Dhanbad, Jharkhand. After the new District Hospital opened, she was asked to support family planning services. She reflects:
The journey from sensitizing hesitant couples and clarifying myths around contraceptive methods to becoming a trusted counselor in Dhanbad was a bumpy ride. I was deputed to the District Hospital in Dhanbad as a family planning counselor for two days a week.
She soon realized the scale of the challenge. The District Hospital’s large client load could not be served in only two days, and family planning was not a priority. Using data, she showed that consistent counseling could raise service uptake.
The vast population served by the District Hospital, could not be served in the days assigned to her . Moreover, family planning services were not a priority. With data, it became clear that service uptake could improve if counselling was provided consistently at the hospital. This realization pushed me to discuss and highlight the need for systematic family planning counselling at the District Hospital. As a result, within a few months, I was assigned the role of a full-time family planning counsellor, which allowed me to perform my duties in one place without feeling burnt out.
Determined to excel, Priti drew on The Challenge Initiative’s (TCI’s) high-impact practices and other interventions (HIPs & HIIs) and completed specialized courses through TCI University (TCI-U).
These resources enhanced my skills, particularly in increasing the uptake of postpartum family planning and adolescent health services. I started counseling couples during antenatal and prenatal check-ups and regularly visited delivery wards. My goal was to ensure that parents-to-be had accurate information about contraceptive options so they could make informed family planning decisions at the right time. Soon, the hospital launched the Yuva (Youth) Clinic, which raises awareness about reproductive and sexual health among young adults and adolescents.
Priti’s impact now extends beyond the District Hospital. She supports urban health facilities across Dhanbad to ensure that quality family planning information and services reach even the most underserved communities.
