National health services and family planning: Thailand, a case study.

The family planning program of Thailand was organized, planned, and implemented by means of the rural health and hospital services of the Ministry of Public Health. Without this integration, the program would not have been allowed by the government. The Thai health system was reasonably well-established, the use of its personnel lessened cost and duplication of efforts, and the resulting integration was successful. The program operated very quietly between 1968 and 1970. No public information was allowed. There were no full-time family planning workers, and no goals and incentives were offered. Only in 1970 when the government announced a national population policy were the restrictions on public information removed. In the development of the program, more than 7600 employees of the Ministry of Public Health received the 1-week training program. After training, family planning clinics were opened in the provincial hospitals and in those rural health centers staffed with a physician. Initially, the auxiliary midwives were expected only to motivate and provide information to those in their areas, referring interested couples to the centers and hospitals for the IUDs, oral contraceptives, and sterilization programs that were available. However, after the successful completion of a pilot study in 1970, the midwives were permitted to prescribe the oral contraceptive. A postpartum program which attempted to motivate women in the use of family planning 2-4 days following delivery revealed that with proper motivation efforts a majority of women will accept family planning services postpartum. A special evaluation section was developed within the Ministry to assess the progress of the program. Many problems continue to require attention, such as the need for high level government support shown by a budget increase and the development of effective supervision for staff within the health system.