IIHMR University, in partnership with the UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Office, conducted a two-week International Training Program on Family Planning and Reproductive Health Commodity Security during September 18 to 29, 2023 at the university campus.
This is the sixth program in a series of successful initiatives that have been instrumental in building capacity in the vital field of RHCS and Family Planning. This year's program hosts 33 participants representing eleven countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Fiji, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste. The primary objective of the training is to enhance participants' comprehension of RHCS and SPARHCS while equipping them with improved leadership and managerial skills, ultimately contributing to the advancement of FP and RHCS areas.
The opening ceremony began with the symbolic lighting of the lamp and an invocation to the goddess Saraswati, followed by a warm welcome by Dr. PR Sodani, President of IIHMR University, Jaipur. Dr. Sodani briefed the audience on the accomplishments of five programmes that were conducted annually in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022, and citing those 129 participants from 19 different nations had benefited overall from this program. He also discussed the pedagogy of the programme which includes diverse range of instructional methods, that involves lectures, discussions, case analyses, group work, assignments, field visits, and hands-on experiential learning.
In continuation, Dr. Vinit Sharma, Regional Adviser for Reproductive Health and Reproductive Health Commodity Security (RH & RHCS) at UNFPA's Asia Pacific Regional Office in Bangkok, Thailand, highlighted the history of collaboration between UNFPA and IIHMR University. In 2014, UNFPA began identifying institutions in the region for capacity building in RHCS and FP. IIHMR University, Jaipur, emerged as a promising institution for delivering comprehensive courses in these areas.
Furthermore, Dr. S.D. Gupta, Trustee Secretary of IIHMR, delivered the inaugural address, emphasizing the critical need for leadership and managerial training within the context of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Programs. The training curriculum is meticulously designed to equip participants with essential skills in logistics management, procurement, costing, supply chain management, program management, and advocacy, all of which are indispensable for effective program leadership.
