“…the availability of contraceptives is everywhere.”: Coordinated Family Planning Service Delivery in Rwanda Facilitates Integration into Other Health Services

Abstract

Background High fertility rates pose health risks to both mothers and children and impede economic growth; therefore, family planning use is vital to achieving sustainable population growth and to help build thriving communities. Contraceptive use in Rwanda has tripled since 2005. This study aims to understand the role of coordinated and integrated family planning service delivery in achieving this unparalleled success in Rwanda. Methods This qualitative study in 2018 included eight focus group discussions with family planning providers and 32 in-depth interviews with experienced family planning users. Results Results indicate a well-coordinated family planning service delivery system with community health workers and nurses filling different and complementary roles in meeting family planning client needs at the local level. In addition, integration of family planning into other maternal and child health services is the norm. Conclusions The coordination and integration of family planning across both providers and services may help explain the extraordinary increase in Rwanda’s contraceptive usage, and has potential applications for enhancing family planning service delivery in other settings as well.