Increased demand for injectable contraceptives and overburdened health systems have led several countries to explore non clinic-based mechanisms for providing this method. In an effort to inform future policies and programs, the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and Family Health International (FHI) convened a Technical Consultation on Expanding Access to Injectable Contraception, held at WHO in Geneva, 15-17 June 2009.

The group of 30 technical and program experts found that community-based provision of progestin-only injectable contraceptives by appropriately trained community health workers is safe, effective, and acceptable. They concluded that evidence supports the introduction, continuation, and scale-up of community-based provision of progestin-only injectable contraceptives, provided as part of a family planning program offering a range of contraceptive methods.

Conclusions from this consultation and background materials are available here:

• Injectables consultation brief (PDF, 318 KB)
• French version (PDF, 338 KB) of injectables consultation brief 
• Evidence review (PDF, 398 KB) of the research
• Background papers:
  • injectable contraceptives (PDF, 68 KB)
  • task sharing (PDF, 28 KB)
  • expanded use of injectables (PDF, 533 KB)
• Agenda (PDF, 34 KB) of the meeting, with links to presentations
• Meeting report (coming soon)

Resources and other information on community-based distribution of injectable contraception are also available:

• Checklist for screening clients who want to initiate DMPA (or NET-EN)
• Implementation handbook for provision of injectable contraception services through community-based distribution
• Community-based distribution of injectables: more information