The Challenge Initiative (TCI) in East Africa held a webinar July 6, 2024, on what it has learned from Financing for Family Planning Programs. TCI coaches supporting Jinja in Uganda, Mbeya in Tanzania, and Nakuru County in Kenya shared the financing strategies they have adapted to support family planning programs. While funding gaps still persist, the coaches noted that by leveraging various government and partner initiatives, they have been able to improve family planning services.
The coaches acknowledged that TCI’s work in supporting local governments to scale up of family planning high-impact interventions and practices (HIIs/HIPs) had left a profound mark on their health systems. The coaches are working with various technical and political leaders for continued advocacy on funding and support for family planning activities. TCI program data for all three East Africa countries (see graph below) indicates that expenditures on family planning programs improved over a three-year period. This is when TCI begun tracking the expenditure of commodities. While the data for the month of June is yet to be updated, indications are that the expenditure rates will improve. This goes a long way in strengthening implementation efforts.
Local government financial commitment vs. expenditure – 2021 to 2024.
Key insights and strategies shared during the webinar include:
- Leverage Primary Health Care activities and integrate family planning services for example during immunization campaigns
- Co-design family planning programs with various sector partners for resource pooling and avoidance of task duplications
- Collaborate with identified champions within the technical and political arms of government for continued support towards release and expenditure of family planning funds
- Build the capacity of local implementers on various government financial management processes and systems
For more insights, please watch in to the recording:
