ICM/USAID (The United States Agency for International Development)

c.1961-1981

9 boxes

Recognising the importance of Family Planning (FP) as a core service in improving maternal and child health in less developed countries (LDCs), the ICM, together with FIGO, held a series of meetings, including a conference in May 1971, which established integration of FP in the midwife's training as an immediate objective of the ICM. The result was an A.I.D grant-assisted programme to equip midwives in LDCs in providing FP services as an integral part of their work for maternal and child health care.

Under the terms of the grant, the ICM would conduct at least five Regional Working Parties to analyse needs, resources and potential to expand midwife capacity in the region for support and promotion of FP; develop recommendations on how to integrate FP into midwife training and practice; and plan action to put recommendations into effect at national and local levels.

Each Working Party was to be composed of: midwives and physicians approved by ICM and FIGO from eligible LDCs in a particular region; cirriculum specialists in FP and midwifery practice with international and FP experience in the region; ICM core staff of a Deputy Field Director, consultants with regional experience and administrative staff; programme and resource speakers as required. The A.I.D grant was to support attandence and operational delivery of the Regional Working Party, including summary report, cost analysis, regional impact and future action.

A Project Director was to be appointed who would be responsible for all arrangements and conduct of the Working Parties, including the publication of materials, summary reports and action plans. Close liaison with the Office of Population, A.I.D was to be maintained during all Working Party activities and personnel selection.

Also provided under this grant was a contribution from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) to partially support a June 1972 meeting of the Joint Study Group of ICM/FIGO (see also Section M) for the purpose of preparing survey documentation for the Working Parties to be used in the revised edition of Maternity Care in the World, first published in 1966. A further portion of the grant represented an A.I.D/HEW contribution towards the cost of the 1972 ICM International Congress to be held in Washington, D.C. in October under the theme of "New Horizons in Midwifery", stressing FP as an integral part of miwifery practice in development countries.