Abstract

PIP: The National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN) of Indonesia adopted Norplant as a program contraceptive soon after its introduction. 400,000-450,000 Indonesian acceptors use Norplant/year followed by the US where use sharply increased after FDA approval. The collaboration of BKKBN with its Vietnamese counterpart started after the Prime Minister requested assistant in implementing proposals, and a memorandum of understanding was signed on population and family planning in April 1992. Indonesia donated 40,000 gross of condoms, 10,000 cycles of pills, 10,000 injectables, and 1000 IUDs to Vietnam. Among the key factors of Indonesia's family planning achievements are strong community participation, the commitment of 500,000 voluntary field workers, almost 300,000 acceptor groups, and 76,000 village contraceptive distribution centers. The continuity of contraception use is stressed whether it be the pill, IUD, or injectable. Sterilization accounts only for 5-10% of acceptors in East Java province where the total fertility rate is 2.1, considered replacement level. 94.6% of married women know at least 1 contraceptive method according to the 1991 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey. Nongovernmental organizations get assistance from UNFPA, USAID, and Pathfinder but not from the Indonesian government which, however, assists village acceptor groups and religious organizations. The training of 5000-7000 midwives/year was initiated by the Ministry of Health and BKKBN some years ago to be sent to villages where more than 15,000 are working, and 35,000 will serve 65,000 villages in another 5 years to improve maternal-child health care services. The concept of the small, happy, and prosperous family is also promoted, and a law was passed and signed in 1992 to this effect.