The Impact of ASSP Four-Year Intervention to Increase Access to Family Planning Services on Modern Contraceptive Use in Three Regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Saleh Babazadeh , Tulane University
David Hotchkiss, Tulane University
Janna Wisniewski, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Jane Bertrand, Tulane University

The Democratic Republic of Congo is among the countries with the highest fertility rates and lowest levels of modern contraceptive use in the world. With 6.6 births per woman, the country has the third highest fertility rate worldwide. In an effort to increase access to family planning services in the DRC, IMA World Health and local partners implemented the Accès aux Soins de Santé Primaires (ASSP) project between 2013 and 2018 with the funding from Department for International Development (DFID), UK. Baseline and endline surveys were performed and difference in difference model was designed to evaluate the impact of the project. Overall, the impact evaluation did not show a significant increase in MCPR while found a significant effect in Nord Ubangi. Results highlight that the ASSP project has significantly increased use of LARC methods. Specifically, the ASSP project had a significant impact on implant use.

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 Presented in Session 1. Fertility, Family Planning, Sexual Behavior, & Reproductive Health 1