Terms of Reference of the Family Planning
Technical Committee (FPTC)
Background and Justification
The Ministry of Health (MOH) revitalized the National Reproductive Health Task Force
(NRHTF); this committee has been actively functional. The task force comprises many
governmental institutions, United Nations agencies, donors, nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs), and professional associations. The MOH/Family Health Department has enjoyed
support and collaboration from its partners and stakeholders through the established task force.
However, since the participants had varied reproductive health (RH) activity interest and there
are many (more than 40), it was difficult to organize frequent meetings and to actively involve
members in the detailed activities of the departments. In view of this, the MOH decided to
formulate four subgroups/technical committees. These committees are—
1.
2.
3.
4.
Logistic Technical Committee
Safe Motherhood Technical Committee
Adolescent Reproductive Health Technical Committee
Information, Education, and Communication/Behavior Change Communication (IEC/BCC)
Technical Committee
These committees have provided greater opportunities for frequent meetings and discussions
geared at finding solutions for various constraints that arise during the implementation of the
overall national reproductive health (RH) program. Similar to other technical committees, the
Logistic Technical Committee (LTC) has been actively functioning and was able to conduct
several meetings between partners. Important RH policy issues were raised, discussed, and
recommendations made for the attention of the LTC and the NRHTF. Among the many
recommendations was the need to transform the existing LTC. The rationale was that family
planning in its wider context needs to be given more attention. It was noted that family planning
needs to be recognized as a very important RH activity and, indeed, a pillar of most of the RH
components. It was, therefore, suggested that the LTC should widen its scope of activities to
cover all relevant areas of family planning and not just contraceptive logistics. The LTC
considered the recommendation in some detail and eventually agreed to rename the existing
committee, the Family Planning Technical Committee (FPTC). The committee decided that both
the membership and TOR of the committee needed to be reviewed to reflect its new and wider
mandate.
General Objectives
1. The establishment of the FPTC, under the auspices of the NRHTF, is to provide technical
and advisory support to the Family Health Division (FHD) in its effort to increase the
national contraceptive prevalence rate and improve the quality of life for the national
population.
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2. The transformation of the LTC to FPTC will widen the scope of its mandate; rather than only
looking at contraceptive logistic issues, it will also look at the overall national family
planning activities
Members of the Current LTC
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
MOH— Chairperson
UNFPA
USAID
Pathfinder International
EngenderHealth
Term of Reference of the FPTC
The FPTC is a sub-committee under the NRHTF, which was established based on the consensus
reached during the third LTC. The FPTC is expected to look at the overall national family
planning activities and to assist and support the promotion of the service throughout the country.
Hereafter, the FPTC will work under the following Term of Reference (TOR):
1. Provide a forum that will ensure sustained networking among major stakeholders and family
planning partners in the national family planning program.
2. Provide a forum for effective donor/stakeholder coordination with regards to planning and
procurement of essential family planning commodities and supplies.
3. Review the existing workplan to ensure inclusion of activities that would adequately reflect
the broader scope of activities of the reconstituted FPTC.
4. Review current membership to ensure reflection and inclusion of bodies relevant to the
expanded scope of activities of the FPTC; bearing in mind, however, the need to keep the
size of the committee to a manageable and effective number.
5. Ensure the establishment and implementation of a functional and effective national
contraceptive logistic system, essentially by—

Ensuring the collation and analysis of national logistic information from all stakeholders
and the utilization of the information for more effective management of the contraceptive
logistic system.

Ensuring the appropriate and timely distribution of adequate quantities of commodities to
all partners.

Overseeing the management of the system and providing timely and appropriate
guidance, as necessary.
6. Participate in the development of family planning technical policies, strategies, guidelines,
and action plans of the family planning program.
7. Conduct advocacy work to ensure strong commitments of policy makers and community
leaders in the promotion of family planning service in the country.
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8. Provide support and advice in ensuring quality family planning service provision to the
people.
9. Participate in strengthening and expanding the existing family planning community-level
activities.
10. Participate in identifying and conducting (as required) of family planning operational and
other research activities.
11. Assist in resource mobilization (medical supplies, commodities, etc.).
12. Assist and support capacity building of the central and regional program personnel.
13. Encourage production of relevant IEC/BCC materials for awareness creation and effective
behavior change.
14. Participate in periodic review meeting and other program monitoring activities.
* N.B.: This TOR shall be reviewed when deemed necessary.
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