Evaluation of a Six-month Pilot to Introduce Depot-holders in Three Types of Urban Areas

Funded by: USAID

The NGO Service Delivery Program (NSDP) supports 41 local NGOs to deliver ESP in Bangladesh through urban and rural static clinics and satellite clinics. It has about 8,700 female Depot-holders working in rural areas, but so far they have not been used in urban areas. NSDP and its partner NGOs are developing strategies to address the needs of the poor in urban areas. Depot Holders have two basic roles as providers and promoters. As providers, Depot-holders distribute oral contraceptives, condoms and Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS). As promoters, they raise awareness of ESP services available from clinics, charges and fees for specific services, educate newly weds and low parity couples about contraceptive methods, promote antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC), help to organize satellite clinics; and refer customers for clinical contraception, child and maternal health, curative services, and for side effects of contraception.

The overall objective of this research is to evaluate a six-month pilot to introduce Depot-holders (DH) in three types of urban area, and to establish a baseline for longer-term evaluation of their cost effectiveness. It is expected that the findings from the study will assist NSDP to observe the process of introduction of urban Depot-holder and effects of their activities. It will also help NSDP to bring about required changes and modification, if necessary. Also, the study findings will assist NSDP to expand such activities in other urban areas operated by NGOs and, thus, address the needs of urban poor for ESP services.