Family planning strategy for Rohingyas launched in Cox’s Bazar

The Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare today officially launched the family planning strategy for the Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar for 2022-2025.

The strategy outlines an approach to increase the demand for modern contraceptive methods through community-based family planning interventions and facility-based family planning services among women and girls of Rohingya and surrounding host communities.

The strategy was developed and approved in October 2022 under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Health Sector Cox's Bazar, and the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) working group supported by the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA.

Partners within the health sector operating in the camps provide sexual and reproductive health services from health facilities and women-friendly spaces across the camps.

Over the course of the last five years, demand for family planning services has increased dramatically, with health facilities seeing an increase of 175% in family planning visits between 2018 and 2022, said a media release.

"This multi-year strategy covering 2022-2025 will guide humanitarian partners to make family planning accessible, voluntary, and choice-based for everyone," said Dr Ashrafi Ahmad, additional secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.