DMPA-SC Evidence to Practice: Increasing access, empowering women

February 21, 2020 by PATH

PATH and the DMPA-SC Access Collaborative have hosted the Evidence to Practice workshops, a series of global learning and exchange opportunities, since 2018.

DMPA-SC Evidence to Practice 2019 workshop participants

Participants at the DMPA-SC Evidence to Practice workshop in November 2019. Photo: PATH

The first DMPA-SC Evidence to Practice workshop was held in May 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya with the goal of increasing voluntary and high-quality access to subcutaneous DMPA (DMPA-SC)* within a wide range of contraceptive methods. Co-hosted by PATH and the Kenya Ministry of Health, the Evidence to Practice workshop involved more than 175 participants from 20+ countries, including ministry of health representatives, implementing partners, and donors. Workshop participants shared the latest evidence regarding DMPA-SC and self-injection and developed country action plans.

Given the progress made after the first workshop, the second Evidence to Practice workshop was held in October 2019 in Dakar, Senegal with the goal of catalyzing DMPA-SC scale-up to improve women’s awareness of and access to an expanded range of high-quality family planning products and services. Co-hosted by PATH and John Snow, Inc. through the DMPA-SC Access Collaborative and the Senegal Ministry of Health, the second Evidence to Practice workshop involved more than 200 participants from 20+ countries. Workshop participants shared the latest evidence and country implementation experiences regarding DMPA-SC through diverse panels and skill-building sessions on topics including self-injection, private sector provision, demand generation, provider training, advocacy skills, procurement planning, and HIV service integration, among others. Country delegations also developed action plans to build on existing work and catalyze scale-up after the workshop.

For more information, check out the Evidence to Practice reports, resources, and references; sign up for our newsletter; or email FPoptions@path.org.

For more information

DMPA-SC Evidence to Practice meeting reports, resources, and references.

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“We have moved beyond the period of pilots and studies—countries need to move to planning for ambitious scale up and use a cascade approach to train providers swiftly.”
— Evidence to Practice workshop participant

*DMPA-SC: Subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate.
Sayana Press is a registered trademark of Pfizer Inc.
Uniject is a trademark of BD.