FAQs
Please tell us more about Saathiya?
‘Saathiya Youth-friendly Network’ is a network of specially trained family doctors, chemists and specialists that can address the family planning needs of young married couples.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID), together with Market–based Partnerships for Health (MBPH) Project, launched the “Saathiya” program to reach out to young married couples through a network of Youth-friendly providers so as to increase their knowledge on reproductive health and family planning methods, and empower them to make informed decisions.
The goal of Saathiya – the Youth-friendly network is to create a sustainable mechanism to improve contraceptive-seeking knowledge and behaviours among young married couples.
Where all has Saathiya been launched and how has the response been so far?
The Saathiya Family Planning Network was launched in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in October 2007 and has seen tremendous success. The program has recently been expanded to the cities of Dehradun, Agra, Haridwar, Allahabad, Barabanki and Varanasi.
Saathiya has a network of over 3,200 chemist shops, family doctors and obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs) across these seven cities that have undergone comprehensive training and orientation to strengthen their family planning knowledge and counseling skills.
Saathiya program was launched in Agra on 4th June, 2009.
The Saathiya Helpline was launched on 26th October 2007 and has received more than 160,000 calls till date.
Why only 7 cities & not nationally?
We do a complete and thorough research before launching our initiatives in any city. The project so far is planned in 7 cities of UP and Uttarakhand. The project has been a big success in Lucknow and could be expanded to include many more cities in future.
Can you share some details regarding the success in Lucknow?
So far, the Saathiya Network has over 3,200 family doctors, chemists and specialists (Obstetricians - Gynaecologists) who are part of the network and are providing information, counselling and Family Planning products/ services to married Youth.
The Saathiya helpline – a toll-free private and confidential telephone service with trained counsellors, has received over 160,000 calls on matters related to Family Planning and Reproductive Health. Although the helpline is based at Lucknow, it can receive calls from mobile phones, fixed lines and PCO’s from all over India.
More than 70% of these callers have been referred to Saathiya network providers for counselling services or for obtaining contraceptive products.
What is the need of a program of this nature?
The figures and facts given below illustrate the problems young married couples face:
1- 57% of people between the age group of 15-29 years of age are already married.
2- The median age at first marriage is 16.2 years among women and 20.1 years among men.
3- Problems of Married Youth - They lack access are hesitant to ask for information, and lack a trustworthy friend and advisor. Married Youth often prefer to obtain family planning products in the private sector, making pharmacies and drug retail shops their primary sources of information/products, but are often too embarrassed to discuss their health needs or problems with retail staff.
4- Saathiya Network provides information, access and advice in a friendly, sensitive, respectful and confidential manner such that married youth can avail family planning information/ products/services and choose what is appropriate for them.
1- 57% of people between the age group of 15-29 years of age are already married.
2- The median age at first marriage is 16.2 years among women and 20.1 years among men.
3- Problems of Married Youth - They lack access are hesitant to ask for information, and lack a trustworthy friend and advisor. Married Youth often prefer to obtain family planning products in the private sector, making pharmacies and drug retail shops their primary sources of information/products, but are often too embarrassed to discuss their health needs or problems with retail staff.
4- Saathiya Network provides information, access and advice in a friendly, sensitive, respectful and confidential manner such that married youth can avail family planning information/ products/services and choose what is appropriate for them.
How is the program going to help people in these small cities? Can you please elaborate on ‘Saathiya Helpline and ‘Saathiya’ Health Card?
The program has been designed to increase young married couples’ knowledge on reproductive health and family planning methods. The Program focuses on trying to address :
1- The economic burden faced by married youth when they have early marriages and increased family responsibilities
2- The Health burden on Young women – they get married early, have children early, and do not practice spacing, and have repeated births.
The Saathiya program also includes the Saathiya Helpline, a toll-free private, friendly and confidential service to tele-consult youth through trained female or male counsellors in the areas of reproductive health and family planning. Special numbers have been separately activated for women and men callers. The Saathiya toll-free helpline number for women is 1800-180-180-1 and 1800-180-180-2 for men. These numbers can be accessed from land lines (including PCO booths),as well as from mobile phones in Agra, thus making information available from 9 am in the morning to 12 midnight, all seven days of the week. Depending on the nature of query, the counsellors can refer callers to a Saathiya pharmacist or doctor for family planning products or services Providing customers with more benefits, the program also provides the Saathiya Health Card. To be soon made available at various Saathiya outlets in Agra, the card will enable young married couples to avail a 5% discount on contraceptive products from Saathiya chemists and 50% discount on consultation fees from Saathiya doctors.
1- The economic burden faced by married youth when they have early marriages and increased family responsibilities
2- The Health burden on Young women – they get married early, have children early, and do not practice spacing, and have repeated births.
The Saathiya program also includes the Saathiya Helpline, a toll-free private, friendly and confidential service to tele-consult youth through trained female or male counsellors in the areas of reproductive health and family planning. Special numbers have been separately activated for women and men callers. The Saathiya toll-free helpline number for women is 1800-180-180-1 and 1800-180-180-2 for men. These numbers can be accessed from land lines (including PCO booths),as well as from mobile phones in Agra, thus making information available from 9 am in the morning to 12 midnight, all seven days of the week. Depending on the nature of query, the counsellors can refer callers to a Saathiya pharmacist or doctor for family planning products or services Providing customers with more benefits, the program also provides the Saathiya Health Card. To be soon made available at various Saathiya outlets in Agra, the card will enable young married couples to avail a 5% discount on contraceptive products from Saathiya chemists and 50% discount on consultation fees from Saathiya doctors.
How did you measure the success of the program in Lucknow?
The success was measured by the increase in the awareness and use, and knowledge and access of contraceptive products and services, through Saathiya providers comprising of retail pharmacists, traditional doctors, and medical doctors such as Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and General Practitioners.
What kind of investments is being made for this campaign?
Substantial investments are being made, both in terms of time and funding to this important program. Apart from USAID, we have five partner medical associations, and also four partner pharmaceutical manufacturing companies who are supporting the program through the time of their staff, product samples, promotional materials for doctors, and also consumer advertising support.
How is it that Saathiya is a trusted and reliable source for information on RH/FP?
Saathiya is a trusted advisor providing easy access and expert counseling on Family Planning needs of married youth, enabling better health and living standards.
Proof points:
Reputed doctors on panel –
• Dr. Chandravati, President – FOGSI - Lucknow chapter
• Dr. Jaideep Malhotra, President, AOGSI (Agra chapter of FOGSI)
• Dr. Dr. Ravi Anand – Director - Capacity Building and Quality Assurance, Abt Associates.
• Presidents of local chapters of FOGSI and IMA have also given their support.
Trained & Certified Partners across seven program cities
Confidential / respectful / private
• Identity of callers/ clients is confidential
• Separate dedicated helpline numbers for Women & Men
Sensitive and respectful call handling/ client queries/ counseling USAID’s commitment to promoting health initiatives in India.
Proof points:
Reputed doctors on panel –
• Dr. Chandravati, President – FOGSI - Lucknow chapter
• Dr. Jaideep Malhotra, President, AOGSI (Agra chapter of FOGSI)
• Dr. Dr. Ravi Anand – Director - Capacity Building and Quality Assurance, Abt Associates.
• Presidents of local chapters of FOGSI and IMA have also given their support.
Trained & Certified Partners across seven program cities
Confidential / respectful / private
• Identity of callers/ clients is confidential
• Separate dedicated helpline numbers for Women & Men
Sensitive and respectful call handling/ client queries/ counseling USAID’s commitment to promoting health initiatives in India.
You are indirectly promoting promiscuity/ the abuse of the information by unmarried youth! Please comment.
- Saathiya is a trusted advisor providing easy access and expert counseling on Family Planning needs of married youth, enabling better health and living standards. The program focuses on men as much as women and is trying to address:
1- The economic burden faced by married youth when they have early marriages and increased family responsibilities.
2- The Health burden on young women - who get married early, have children early, and do not practice spacing between children.
The program is targeted at the married and not the unmarried. There are several problems of married Youth. Below are some points that illustrate this fact.
1- Early age marriage –
“Most young people are not married is not true” 57% of people between the age group of 15-29 years of age are already married
The median age at first marriage is 16.2 years among women and 20.1 years among men
Among young women age 15-19 in Uttar Pradesh, 14% have already begun childbearing, a little lower than the national average (16%).
2-The Saathiya Program is for married men as much as for married women.
3-Currently no program addresses the needs of young married couples, except Saathiya.
4-Saathiya upholds the Right to information of married youth to correct and complete information on Family planning and reproductive health.
What is the percentage of women callers on the helpline?
The program has dedicated, separate helplines for men and women. While the larger percentage of callers is still men, the women’s helpline also receives several calls.
Why are there no Government led campaigns if the problem is so huge?
Saathiya is a private sector initiative and aims to supplement the efforts of the Government by involving the private sector in public health initiatives. The Government is already working towards health improvement through its national rural and urban health mission programs and Saathiya will compliment these efforts.
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