- What do you think are the reasons of high unmet need of FP in the Philippines?
One of the reasons of high unmet need of FP in the Philippines is the taboo of talking about reproductive health. I think that there is still lot of Filipinos who are conservative and the topic about sexual intercourse will make them uncomfortable. While I do understand this feeling, I think that educating people why reproductive health and family planning should not be taken as sensitive topics to talk about will help in realization and understanding of why FP is needed in our country. Besides this, I think that there is a lack of awareness with FP being already accessible in health centers is also a reason of its high unmet need. Lastly, I think that Filipino’s culture could also be a reason since FP is not that known in a lot of Filipino families who have traditions and culture which they still practice in these times.
- What are ways you can suggest to increase the practice of FP in the country? Give least 1-2 suggestions.
To increase the practice of FP in the country, we should address the root causes of the lack of awareness and trust with the services of reproductive health. As nurses, our role here is to educate and promote the practice of FP in the country. We should include it in our health education for the families in the community that we deem that they need the knowledge about family planning. Besides this, teaching about family planning in reproductive age is also essential for the people in this period that are yet to enter their adulthood or some may already have plans to have a family. We should also take advantage of the free platform that could reach many Filipinos such as social media sites although we should keep in mind that the information we disseminate must be true, and factual from evidence-based research. Additionally, we should also participate in making policies and programs directed to promote and implement family planning strategies in the community. If ever there are recognized boundaries to the clients who we assessed that needs FP, we must play the different roles of nurses to cater their needs.