World could learn from Thailand’s family planning approach, says US healthcare director

The director of a leading healthcare institution in the United States reckons the world could learn a thing or two from Thailand when it comes to family planning.

Jose G Timon II, director of US-based Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health, believes Thailand’s success in implementing family planning schemes over the past few decades should act as a model for other nations to follow.

Timon made the statement yesterday at the 2022 International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) in Pattaya.

The ICFP has served as a platform for the global reproductive health community to celebrate achievements as the world’s largest scientific conference on family planning and reproductive health.

Some 3,500 participants from 125 countries are participating in the event in Pattaya, where they are sharing their research, and innovations and discussing challenges surrounding family planning.

Thailand introduced its first family planning initiative among rural families in 1966, before expanding it into a national policy in 1971. As a result of the initiative, the rate of contraceptive use went up from 15% to about 70%, which led to a decline in the fertility rate from 6.1 to 1.5.

Timon said Thailand was chosen to host this year’s conference because of its success in the provision of birth control and its universal healthcare system.

“We do hope that other countries could learn from Thailand. We see no reason not to have the annual meeting here in Thailand, which is well-known for its reputation for hospitality.”

Sathit Pitutecha, deputy minister to the Ministry of Public Health, added…

“Thailand has now shifted its focus to increasing its population size, which is starting to decline as a result of previous policies on birth control over the past four decades.

“The average number of babies born each year has dropped to less than 600,000 per year right now, compared to about one million a year between 1964-1983.”

The ICFP gathering ends tomorrow.