USAID and BKKBN Celebrate Historical Achievements in Family Planning and Reproductive Health

December 6, 2005

On December 6, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN) will open a three-day Quality Conference at the Grand Angkasa Hotel in Medan, North Sumatra to celebrate improved access to quality family planning services in Indonesia. This Regional conference also highlighted a common vision shared by leaders at the BKKBN, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Internal Affairs for a healthy and prosperous Indonesia.

Paul Berg, the Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Medan, said in his remarks: “Family planning is a key component for future economic growth, sustainable development, a clean environment, and healthier families. Quality family planning remains a critical priority for regional and local governments.”

The Indonesian Family Planning Program is internationally recognized for its success in reducing high birth rates, increasing access to modern contraceptives and improving the health status of mothers and their children. For more than 30 years, USAID has worked in partnership with the BKKBN to ensure that Indonesian families have access to quality family planning and reproductive health services for all those in need. The National Family Planning program has dramatically improved the health of both mothers and babies by allowing families to plan their births.

More than 500 participants from seven provinces across Sumatra were invited to attend the conference including mayors, administrators, service providers, and NGO staff. During the event, successful district approaches developed in collaboration with USAID’s Sustaining Technical Achievements in Reproductive Health Program (STARH) will be disseminated for wider use. This is the second of three regional Quality Dissemination Conferences to held by USAID, whose goal is will reach over 75 percent of Indonesian’s population in over 60 percent of all districts by the June 2006.

For more information on USAID’s activities in Indonesia, please contact Caroline Gredler at 3435-9376 or cgredler@usaid.gov

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