A Center of Excellence for Comprehensive Family Planning Training will be established under a newly signed Letter of Understanding (LoU) by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Gadjah Mada (FK UGM) and the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), supported by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. The Center is expected to deliver high–quality, competency-based comprehensive family planning training that meets international standards, to be shared with other countries under a South-South Cooperation framework.
Yogyakarta, 11 October 2014 – The Family Planning (FP) programme in Indonesia has been a world-class success, managing to decrease the country’s total fertility rate by half since the 1970s. An inseparable part of this success story has been the skills of health care providers, as the front-liners in implementing the FP programme all over the country. Indonesia’s experience can provide valuable lessons for other developing countries.
The National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) and the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Gadjah Mada (FK UGM) in Yogyakarta today signed a Letter of Understanding (LoU) on the Establishment of a Center of Excellence for Comprehensive Family Planning Training. BKKBN and FK UGM, with technical assistance from UNFPA – United Nations Population Fund, plan to use the Center as a base for delivering high-quality, competency-based comprehensive family planning training that meets international standards, to be shared with other countries under a South-South Cooperation framework. The training on comprehensive FP training will be offered commencing 2015 as an addition to an existing course on developing strategic partnerships with faith-based organizations and religious leaders.
“The expected internationally quality Center of Excellence, however, should also provide benefits to improve the quality of national family planning programme. The Center should become a reference for other clinical training centers throughout the country ” said Ir. Ambar Rahayu, MNS, Principal Secretary of BKKBN. In collaboration with UNFPA, BKKBN will promote the training programme, which includes communicating with Ministries of Health of various countries, as well as developing a mechanism for quality assurance of the training programme, and to jointly monitor its quality.
The South-South Cooperation framework aligns with Indonesia’s strategic vision to expand its influence and role, both regionally and globally, including via the exchange of experience and knowledge as a center of excellence. Since the 1980s, BKKBN has shared its good practices to advance FP programmes with more than 5,000 officials from 92 countries.
South-South Cooperation and supporting Indonesia to become a knowledge hub for family planning are elements of UNFPA Indonesia’s 8th Country Programme for 2011 to 2015. This includes providing technical assistance for the establishment of the new Center of Excellence.
“To become a Center of Excellence, the Faculty of Medicine should improve its training quality through, among other things, the assignment of dedicated quality trainers and staff, improving training methodology and materials, and providing a good training environment. In addition, the Center should also look for continuous innovation to have competitive advantage at the regional and global level,” explainedMr. Jose Ferraris, UNFPA Representative for Indonesia.
The Faculty of Medicine, Gadjah Mada University is selected as the host of the international comprehensive, right-based Family Planning based on several criteria such as interest and commitment of the institution, clinical and non-clinical competency, academic competency, and other social environment.
“Faculty of Medicine is proud to be selected as the host of this international training. In order to develop a Center of Excellence at the Faculty of Medicine, however, we need support and collaboration with other institutions, and experts,” added Prof. Dr. Teguh Aryandono, Sp.B(K).Onk., Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Gadjah Mada.
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For further information, kindly contact:
Mr. Samidjo
National Programme Officer for Advocacy
United Nations Population Fund
Email : Samidjo@unfpa.org
Mobile: +628121068328
