Advocacy Pack for Subcutaneous DMPA
Tools for advocacy and communications to increase access to a new type of injectable contraception
Subcutaneous DMPA (DMPA-SC) is an innovative and easy-to-use injectable that is transforming contraceptive access, use, and choice for women and adolescent girls. DMPA-SC is currently being introduced or scaled in Family Planning 2020 countries as Pfizer’s branded product Sayana® Press. Advocates have an important role to play in making sure their country’s policies and funding support access to a broad method mix, including new options like DMPA-SC.
The Advocacy Pack for Subcutaneous DMPA is designed to accelerate your advocacy efforts. It consists of evidence-based materials, in English and French, for advocates to use both for their own strategy development and for direct advocacy with decision-makers. Materials are customizable and unbranded so that you can tailor them to your country context. Read the Overview of the Advocacy Pack for Subcutaneous DMPA for more information about the contents and use of the pack.
Tools to inform advocacy and communications
Advocacy planning: Use these tools to guide development of an advocacy strategy and action plan that speaks to your country context. You can also use and print these as handouts for decision-makers and other stakeholders as relevant.
Key actions for advocates to advance subcutaneous DMPA
Provides examples of actions that may be useful in advancing access to DMPA-SC, including those that apply to different country stages.
Important policies for advancing access to subcutaneous DMPA
Offers an overview of key policies that affect introduction and scale-up of injectable contraceptives, including DMPA-SC.
Advocacy Strategy Development Template: Planning to Achieve DMPA-SC Policy Change
A 10-part framework that supports individuals and organizations to develop a high-impact, outcome-oriented policy advocacy strategy.
Increasing access to subcutaneous DMPA in Uganda: An advocacy case study
Describes key evidence-building efforts, advocacy actions, and policy changes in Uganda brought about by key partners to increase access to injectable contraception, including DMPA-SC. You can draw on lessons learned from Uganda to inform your policy goals and advocacy strategy for increasing method choice and access with DMPA-SC in your country.
DMPA and HIV: What advocates need to know
Summarizes important takeaways for advocates from new guidance released by the World Health Organization in 2017 on hormonal contraception, including DMPA injectables, and HIV for women at high risk of HIV.
Communications and media planning: Use these tools to inform compelling and accurate messaging and public outreach. You can also use and print these as handouts for decision-makers and other stakeholders as relevant.
Messaging points on subcutaneous DMPA
Packages accurate, evidence-based messages about the features and benefits of DMPA-SC and how the product can increase women’s access to contraception.
Tips for engaging traditional and social media for advocacy on subcutaneous DMPA
Provides tips on when, why, and how to engage traditional and social media to advance your advocacy to increase access to DMPA-SC.
Common terms for DMPA injectable contraception
Helps you understand the terms surrounding DMPA injectables to inform your messaging and communication.
Handouts for decision-makers
Customize these resources as needed and use them to advocate directly with decision-makers.
An overview of subcutaneous DMPA: A new type of injectable contraception that expands access and options
Offers quick facts on the benefits of DMPA-SC; the product’s potential for empowering women and adolescent girls; the product’s availability; and how subcutaneous DMPA is different from intramuscular DMPA (DMPA-IM).
Evidence at-a-glance: What we know about subcutaneous DMPA, a new type of injectable contraception (With spotlights on: Acceptability, Community-level distribution, Self-injection, Private-sector provision, Research on injectable contraception)
Compiles existing evidence on DMPA-SC and specifically on the Sayana Press product. Data are grouped into top-line, evidence-based messages, with corresponding data from different countries.
Evidence at-a-glance consists of a two-page summary handout that can be printed and distributed directly to decision-makers. It also contains several one-page spotlight handouts on specific sub-topics, which can be printed and paired with the two-page summary—for distribution to decision-makers—as needed.
The case for subcutaneous DMPA
Using simple messages, describes reasons why DMPA-SC is a valuable and game-changing addition to a broad contraceptive method mix.
Self-injected subcutaneous DMPA: A new frontier in advancing contraceptive access and use for women
Details the strong body of evidence and experience with self-injection of DMPA-SC in low-resource settings, including how the practice can reduce access-related barriers, improve contraceptive continuation, and enhance women’s autonomy.
Costs and cost-effectiveness of subcutaneous DMPA through different delivery channels: What new evidence tells us
Summarizes recent evidence from African countries on the costs and cost-effectiveness of DMPA-SC. Key findings include that DMPA-SC may help reduce service delivery costs by catalyzing expansion of channels closest to women and that self-injected DMPA-SC is cost-saving as compared to clinic-administered DMPA-IM when accounting for costs to women and health systems.
Subcutaneous DMPA key facts: Answering questions and dispelling common myths about a new type of injectable contraception
Offers concise, evidence-based information to help answer common questions and dispel myths about injectable contraception. Myths are not stated directly because repeating a myth may reinforce it in people’s minds.
PowerPoint template: Expanding options and access with subcutaneous DMPA, a new type of injectable contraception
A customizable slide deck that provides a brief description of DMPA-SC and its benefits; an overview of evidence on how the product expands access through multiple delivery channels; and illustrative policy and advocacy gaps and recommendations for country decision-makers.
Policy brief template: Scaling-Up Self-Injection of DMPA-SC to Increase Contraceptive Access and Options
A customizable document that provides a brief description of DMPA-SC; an overview of evidence on how the product expands access through multiple delivery channels; and policy and advocacy recommendations for country decision-makers tied to the country’s stage of access.
Resources: A list of references about subcutaneous DMPA
Lists key references and resources from the evidence base on DMPA-SC. Pair this with Evidence at-a-glance if your target decision-maker would like to have access to the data in that handout.
Acknowledgment
The Advocacy Pack for Subcutaneous DMPA was developed by PATH in collaboration with international and national family planning organizations. Capital for Good provided generous support for this project.
The Advocacy Pack for Subcutaneous DMPA was written by Kimberly Whipkey, Jennifer Drake, Kristy Kade, and Beth Balderston of PATH.
PATH would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their review and support of the Advocacy Pack:
- Advance Family Planning: Kathryn Barrett, Aaron Brose, Beth Fredrick, Sabrina Karklins
- Association for Reproductive and Family Health: Kehinde Osinowo
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Ryan Cherlin, Jennifer Daves, Laura Dickinson, Nomi Fuchs-Montgomery, Maryjane Lacoste, Kirsten Vogelsong, Trisha Wood Santos
- Cadre Permanent de Concertation de la Femme Congolaise: Rose Mutombo Kiese
- Children’s Investment Fund Foundation: Miles Kemplay, Erin McCarthy, Linda Weisert
- ChildFund International Zambia: Lydia Jumbe
- The David and Lucile Packard Foundation: Kristina Kastler
- DKT International Nigeria: Dimosthenis Sakellaridis
- Equilibres & Populations: Brigitte Syan
- FHI 360: Angela Akol, Holly McClain Burke, John Stanback
- HealthKeepers Network: Daniel Ekow Mensah
- IntraHealth International: Roy Jacobstein
- Jhpiego: Sam Mulyanga
- John Snow, Inc.: Laila Akhlaghi, Maggie Murphy
- Management Sciences for Health: Onisoa Ralidera
- Marie Stopes International: Megan Elliott, Sarah Shaw
- OSV Jordan: Josephat Avoce
- Palladium Group: Erin McGinn, Rivo Noelson
- PATH: Maymouna Ba, George William Barigye, Emma Bradford, Martha Brady, Jane Cover, Patience Dapaah, Katelin Gray, Kelly Healy, Babeth Katumbo, Marie-Louise Mbo, Rosemarie Muganda, Monica Mutesa, Hasifa Naluyiga, Marguerite Ndour, Jerry Parks, Anna Stout, Sara Tifft, Fiona Walugembe, Siri Wood
- Pathfinder International: Farouk Jega
- Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana: Benjamin Anang Sowah
- Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020: Shani Turke
- Population Action International: Dilly Severin, Wendy Turnbull
- Population Council: Laura Reichenbach
- Population Services International: Ilda Kuleba, Ashley Jackson, Pritpal Marjara, Cheswa Vwalika
- National Population Council Uganda: Betty Kyaddondo
- Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition: Aminatou Sar
- Reproductive Health Uganda: Jackson Chekweko
- SOS/Jeunesse: Célestin Compaoré
- Tulane University: Jane Bertrand, Arsene Binanga
- United Nations Population Fund: Olanike Adedeji
- United States Agency for International Development: Saad Abdulmumin
- University of California, San Francisco: Jenny Liu
- The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation: Margot Fahnestock
- World Health Organization: James Kiarie
- Unaffiliated individuals: Janie Hayes (independent consultant), Carol Odula-Obonyo (OB/GYN)
PATH would like to provide special recognition to:
- Tony Frye Design, for graphic design of the Advocacy Pack
- Geneviève Haines, for providing French translation of the Advocacy Pack
Materials for download and use
The Advocacy Pack was originally produced in 2017 and updated in 2019.
Citation
Suggested citation: PATH. Advocacy Pack for Subcutaneous DMPA. Washington, DC: PATH; 2019.
Contact
Please direct any questions, comments, or feedback on the Advocacy Pack for Subcutaneous DMPA to FPoptions@path.org.