1. Self-Care in Global
Reproductive Health:
What’s on the
Horizon?
DANIELLE HARRIS MPH, MA
SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, WCG CARES
MAY 28,2020
2. Overview
• What is Self-Care?
• Self-Care for SRH
• EECO Project
• Caya Diaphragm in Niger
• Dot app in India
• What’s on the horizon?
• Q&A
Photo Credit: PATH/Gabe Bienczycki
3. WHO Definition
“Self-care is the ability of individuals, families and
communities to promote health, prevent disease,
maintain health, and to cope with illness and
disability with or without the support of a
healthcare provider.”
4. Self-Care for Sexual and
Reproductive Health (SRH)
Source: WHO Consolidated Guideline on Self Care Interventions, 2019
5. What is Self-Care?
• Drugs
• Devices
• Diagnostics
• Digital Health Tools
Equally as important, what is self-care not?
7. Why is
Self-Care
gaining
traction
now?
• Global shortage of healthcare workers
• Projected shortage of 12.9 million healthcare
workers by 2035 (WHO)
• Potential to overcome barriers related to
access (and uptake)
• 3.6 billion people lack access to essential health
services (WHO)
• In addition to need, there’s an appetite for
self-care among consumers
• Potential efficiencies in healthcare delivery
(and cost savings)
• For SRH in particular, the potential benefits of
self-care are far-reaching
10. Caya Diaphragm
Photo Credit: Alexandra Angel/PSI
• Non-hormonal
• Discreet
• Reusable
• Single size
• To be used with a
gel, like the Caya gel
11. Family Planning Context in
Niger
Photo Credit: Alexandra Angel/PSI
32%
22%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Modern Contraceptive Prevalence
Rate (Niamey)
Women in Union All Women
Source: PMA2020 (2018)
0% 20% 40% 60%
Reasons for Non-Use of FP among
Women with Unmet Need (Niamey)
Perceived Lack of
Risk/Need
Unmarried
Opposition to Use
Side Effects
Other
12. Caya Training
CHW and Provider
Training in June 2019
• 5 CHWs
• 10 providers
Pilot Launch in June
2019
13. Caya Diaphragm in Niger
CHWs & Private Clinics Public Health Centers
Caya Diaphragm & Gel =
500CFA ($0.80 USD)
Gel Resupplies = 500CFA
Caya Diaphragm & Gel =
FREE
Gel Resupplies = FREE
June 2019 – Mar 2020
627 Caya Diaphragm & Caya Gel Kits sold/distributed
57 Caya Gel resupplies sold/distribution
14. Caya Diaphragm in Niger
Photo Credit: Alexandra Angel/PSI
187
10
61
28
131
126
11
60
13
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
June-Sept 2019 Oct-Dec 2019 Jan-March 2020
Product Distribution by Channel and Quarter
CHW Public Sector Health Center Private Sector Clinic
15. Caya Monitoring & Learning
• Mystery Client Research
• Refresher Training
• Operational Research
• In-depth interviews with
Caya adopters, men who
attended FP talks and
providers (N=55)
• Quantitative survey with
Caya adopters (N=150)
• COVID-19
18. DOT Marketing Workshops
Photo Credit: Danielle Harris/WCG Cares
Photo Credit: PSI India
Key Benefits
• Period tracking (i.e., knowing
when your period would begin)
• Knowing high-risk days for
pregnancy (i.e., when to use a
condom)
• “Tension-free” • Improve communication/
relationship with partner
• Free, available for offline use • No side effects
• Like a personal assistant,
recordkeeper
• Help to prevent/plan pregnancy
19. What’s
on the
horizon?
• Building the evidence base around specific
self-care interventions as well as key
questions related to regulation, financing,
environmental concerns
• How to evaluate self-care interventions?
• Building self-care advocacy movement
• Self-Care Trailblazer Group
• Donor interest
• COVID-19
21. Resources
• World Health Organization: Sexual and Reproductive Health, Self-Care
Interventions for Health
• The BMJ / BMJ Global Health: Self Care Interventions for Sexual and
Reproductive Health and Rights
• Self-Care Trailblazer Group
• Twitter
• DOT Efficacy Studies
• Six cycles
• 13 cycles
