2026
Self-Care Learning
and Discovery Series
Register now
Self-care learning and discovery series 2026The Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) is hosting the third biennial Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series (SCLADS), running from Thursday, 5 November to Thursday, 10 December. Sessions will take place virtually on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. EDT/2:00 p.m. GMT.
What to
Expect
Thirteen interactive sessions will bring together the latest research, lessons learned, and best practices from partners around the world. Topics include self-care financing, family planning, self-testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, advocacy, implementation, innovation, health systems, quality, and the role of providers. Come exchange ideas, explore emerging approaches, and connect with colleagues from across the field and around the world.
Who Should
Join
Everyone with a stake in self-care is welcome: advocates, health providers, government representatives, implementers, journalists, community leaders, academics, product developers, feminists, youth champions, and more.
The
Details
Free to attend. There is no fee to participate.
Earn recognition. Attend at least four sessions and receive a certificate of participation.
Sessions
The SCLADS will present the latest research, learnings, and best practices from partners around the world. The 13 sessions include the following topics:
Thursday, November 5
Self-Care Current Risks and Future Opportunities: A High-Level Discussion
Speakers
Dr. Anthony Nwala, Coordinating Director for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn Child, Adolescent, and Elderly Health Portfolio at Society for Family Health-Nigeria
Dr. Charles Olaro, Director General of Health Services for Uganda's Ministry of Health Uganda
Dr. Cheryl Johnson, Technical Officer at World Health Organization
Dr. Samukeliso Dube, Executive Director of FP2030
Session abstract
The purpose of this event is to promote meaningful dialogue and exchange from high-level health officials on their reflections on the present-day challenges facing self-care and their vision for the future of self-care. This kickoff event will engage a diverse high-level panel of health officials in a dialogue on the opportunities for a way forward given the current political and financial state of global health and SRHR. This event will provide an opportunity for the community to come together to have an honest assessment of potential opportunities for self-care and how we can ensure self-care continues in a planned, deliberate, and evidenced-based manner in the years ahead.
Tuesday, November 10
Implementing Self-Care Programs
Speakers
Andrea Cutherell, Partner at Impact for Health International
Pamella Adhiambo, Communications and Advocacy Officer, Reproductive Health Network Kenya (RHNK)
Dr. Roselline Achola, Senior Technical Advisor for SRHR and Self-Care in the Ministry of Health Uganda
Omolade Ogunlela, Programs and Advocacy Manager White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria
Session abstract
The purpose of this session is to generate demand and interest among participants to apply and/or share the toolkit. The Self-Care Implementation Toolkit was commissioned by the SCTG to support national self-care technical working groups (TWGs), including National Self-Care Networks (NSNs), to translate self-care policy commitments into implementation and scale. Developed by Impact for Health International (IHI) in collaboration with key self-care stakeholders, the toolkit brings together existing guidance, practical tools, and country experiences into one accessible resource. The toolkit provides a stepwise roadmap and curated resource library across five phases: Commit, Formulate, Regulate, Implement, and Sustain. TWGs can follow the phases sequentially or jump directly to those most relevant to their country's priorities. This SCLADS session provides an opportunity to formally launch the first prototype of the toolkit, introduce it to a wider audience, and build momentum for its uptake and use.
Wednesday, November 11
The Value Proposition and Investment Case for Self-Care
Patrick Akinyemi, MEL & Research Manager, CODSAiN Project
Health System Readiness and Cost Efficiency: A Comparative Secondary Analysis of Two DMPA-SC Self-Injection Programmes in Niger State, Nigeria.
Background: Cost-efficiency is an essential factor in the selection of a project delivery model and a common focus of most existing evidence. Less attention has been paid to the need for concurrent assessment of contextual health system conditions that enable affordable project scale-up. The study compared the cost-efficiency across two community-oriented self-injection programmes, CODSAiN and RASUDiN, in Niger State, and assessed the contextual factors that may have contributed to the lower cost per couple-year of protection (CYP) relative to other states, for decision-making on investment and expansion. Methods: A comparative secondary analysis of the two programmes' data, CODSAiN and RASUDiN, was conducted, including analysis of service volume, expenditure data, total doses utilized, CYP, cost per CYP, and cost per community-oriented resource person (CORP). The interpretation of findings was contextualized, with consideration for available evidence. Results: Niger State reported more than one-fifth of all DMPA-SC utilised in both programmes, contributing 369,959 doses in CODSAiN and 250,355 doses in RASUDiN. In CODSAiN and RASUDiN, the fully loaded costs per CYP were 24.0% and 32.0% below the project overall average, respectively. The direct cost for supporting CORPs in Niger State was ₦679,597, 34.0% below the average for CODSAiN. This cross-programme consistency in efficiency suggests that factors beyond programme design may have contributed to cost-efficiency. Existing evidence indicates a pre-existing CORP network, prior investment in community health and demand-generation systems, established governance structures, and implementation of task-sharing policy in the family planning programme.
Conclusion: While Niger State may serve as a cost-efficiency benchmark, it is not a model for direct replication without considering contextual factors in the replicating state. The value of DMPA-SC self-injection projects should be assessed multidimensionally, considering expected demand, system readiness, and differentiated financing. Functional community systems enhance rapid scale-up, while less-ready states would require upfront investment in an enabling environment
Dr. Holly Burke, Senior Scientist FHI360
The Case for Investing in Provider-Administered Subcutaneous DMPA: A Costing Study
Introduction: Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is available as provider-administered intramuscular (DMPA-IM) and subcutaneous injections (PA DMPA-SC), as well as DMPA-SC self-injection (SI), which enhances accessibility and continuation by reducing facility visits. However, DMPA-SC has a higher unit price than DMPA-IM, and low SI uptake can undermine its cost-effectiveness. This study assessed whether PA DMPA-SC’s potential benefits justify its higher cost compared with DMPA-IM in Malawi, an early SI adopter with a higher proportion of SI.
Methods: In this costing study, we used recursive Markov models to examine 12-month service use patterns and costs for each injectable option. We collected data on supplies and infrastructure supporting injectable services (by product and location: facility or community) through site assessments and group discussions with facility-based providers and community health workers across nine facilities. We derived transition and discontinuation probabilities from longitudinal surveys about service use and experiences in a concurrent cohort study of injectable users aged 15–49.
Results: We conducted 23 provider group discussions and enrolled 992 cohort participants. PA DMPA-SC users were twice as likely to discontinue their method than DMPA-IM users (HR 2.01 (1.66–2.43)). However, a significantly higher proportion of PA DMPA-SC users transitioned to SI (47.1%), and did so faster, compared with DMPA-IM users (20.4%). The annual DMPA service cost per person-year of use was not substantially different between DMPA-IM (US$11.01) and PA DMPA-SC (US$11.47). Community-based services were 31% lower in cost at US$8.07 than facility-based services at US$11.61. In facilities, DMPA-SC is less expensive than DMPA-IM when 40% or more of all DMPA-SC visits are for SI; for community-based services, the threshold is 23%. Service volume data indicate these thresholds are achievable in Malawi. Conclusions: Not all DMPA-SC users need to self-inject for DMPA-SC to be cost-competitive with DMPA-IM. Use of PA DMPA-SC may increase the uptake of SI over time.
Pamella Adhiambo, Communications and Advocacy Officer, Reproductive Health Network Kenya (RHNK)
Strengthening Kenya's Health System Resilience and Universal Health Coverage through Investment in Self-Care Interventions for Sexual and Reproductive Health
Background: Self-care interventions are recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an important pathway to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by expanding access to essential health services. Despite progress in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), Kenya continues to face inequities in access to care, increasing demand for services and constrained health financing. While the country has established a supportive policy environment for self-care, including the National Guidelines for Self-Care Interventions in Reproductive Health, sustained investment is needed to scale up implementation. To support evidence-based decision-making and domestic resource mobilization, the Ministry of Health developed the Investment Case for Self-Care Interventions in Kenya, which demonstrates the health, economic and health system benefits of investing in three priority interventions: DMPA-SC self-injection, HPV self-sampling and HIV self-testing.
Methodology: A consultant was engaged to review available global and national evidence on DMPA-SC self-injection, HPV self-sampling and HIV self-testing and examined how these interventions could work within Kenya's health system. The potential health benefits, cost savings for both the health system and households, and the broader economic benefits of scaling up these interventions was estimated. The findings were shared with the Ministry of Health-led Self-Care Community of Practice for review and feedback incorporated into the final investment case, which was then validated and endorsed.
Results: Scaling up DMPA-SC self-injection could reduce family planning service delivery costs by 60 - 70%, generating an estimated US$58.6 million in annual health system savings and US$51.7 million in household savings. Expanding HPV self-sampling could improve early detection of cervical cancer, avert approximately 919 deaths each year, and save between KES 1.11 billion and KES 1.57 billion in treatment costs. Investing US$8.97 million in HIV self-testing could identify up to 50,000 people living with HIV, save more than 30,000 lives, and generate economic benefits of up to US$76.13 million, with returns of up to 8.5 times the initial investment.
Conclusion & Implications: The evidence shows that scaling up priority self-care interventions can generate significant health and economic benefits while reducing pressure on the health system and promoting equitable access to care. Integrating self-care into national and county planning, financing, and implementation frameworks will be key to sustaining these gains and ensuring a more resilient, people-centred health system in Kenya.
Thursday, November 12
Quality, Equity, and User Experience
Roshan Fida, Project Director- Family Planning
Advancing Equitable Self-Care: Women’s Experiences with DMPA-SC Self-Injection across Balochistan and the Federating Areas of Pakistan
Background: Pakistan faces substantial reproductive health challenges, with a total fertility rate (TFR) of 3.6, a modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) of 34%, an unmet need for family planning of 17.3%, and an annual population growth rate of 2.55%. These challenges are more pronounced in Balochistan, where the TFR is 4.0, mCPR is only 14%, unmet need is 23.7%, and population growth is 3.4%. High maternal mortality, geographic dispersion, limited health infrastructure, women’s mobility restrictions, and prevailing social and gender norms further constrain access to facility-based family planning services. DMPA-SC self-injection was introduced through public-sector service-delivery channels to expand equitable access to contraception, broaden method choice, and reach underserved women
Methodlogy: This exploratory implementation-learning study under taken through a desk review, consultations with provincial decision-makers, 80 in-depth interviews with women using DMPA-SC self-injection, and four focus group discussions involving 63 facility- and community-based providers. Participants were selected from 52 public-sector service-delivery points across five districts of Balochistan. Data were analysed thematically and triangulated across client, provider, programme, and health-system perspectives. Results: Self-injection demonstrated high acceptability: 96% of women reported satisfaction, while 76% had completed three to seven injection cycles and intended to continue using the method. Thirty-six percent of study respondents and 63% of programmatic self-injection clients were first-time family planning users. The intervention reached underserved women, including 71% with low or no formal education and women experiencing mobility restrictions. Key reasons for choosing self-injection included the convenience of home-based use (60%), privacy or covert use (38%), and mobility restrictions (23%). Counselling in local languages, visual demonstrations, anticipatory counselling on side effects, and doorstep service delivery and follow-up by Lady Health Workers strengthened women’s confidence and supported continuation. However, important quality and equity gaps remained, including uneven commodity availability, inadequate screening equipment, incomplete integration of self-injection indicators into routine information systems, heat-related storage risks, limited safe-disposal arrangements, and persistent misconceptions regarding the ability of women with low literacy to self-inject successfully. Conclusions: DMPA-SC self-injection is acceptable, feasible, and equity-enhancing for underserved women, including those with low literacy and restricted mobility. Sustainable scale-up requires competency-based counselling and client training, community-based task-sharing, reliable commodity availability, structured supportive supervision and follow-up, integration of self-injection indicators into routine reporting systems, safe storage and disposal mechanisms, and gender-responsive community engagement.
Lusungu Mkandawire, DISC Project Manager
Beyond the First Injection
As self-injection of DMPA-SC expands globally, implementation efforts have largely focused on initiation, ensuring women receive training and can self-inject under provider supervision. However, less attention has been given to what happens after women leave the clinic and face their first independent re-injection at home.
Research from Malawi through the Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) project highlights this critical stage, referred to as the “Second Moment of Truth.” Occurring three months after training, it is the point at which women must re-inject independently, often without direct provider support or access to job aids. Findings from co-design activities and pre-testing with self-injection users, experienced clients, community health workers, and providers revealed that confidence, fear, privacy concerns, and uncertainty about injection procedures significantly influence continuation. Women reported difficulties remembering injection steps, concerns about administration errors or spillage, and challenges obtaining timely support when questions arose.
Despite these barriers, many women relied on informal support systems, including peers, experienced self-injection users, family members, and community-based providers. Evidence from a study of 510 Malawian self-injection users reinforces these findings. Confidence in self-injecting correctly declined from 89% at training to 78% by the first re-injection, while reports of needle fear increased from 20% to 29%. Needle fear and injection technique were the most reported challenges. Among the 21% of women who sought external support, most turned to peers and family rather than health providers.
The session will present emerging evidence and implementation lessons on supporting continuation beyond initiation. It will examine women’s transition from provider-supported initiation to self-managed continuation, the role of informal support networks, and the potential of user-centered tools such as portable job aids, instructional videos, and interactive voice response systems. These approaches can strengthen confidence, improve user experience, and support long-term continuation without substantially increasing health system burden, offering valuable lessons for equitable, high-quality self-care programs.
Dr. Emilia Goland, Thematic Advisor at RFSU
Factors Associated with Self-Managed Medication Abortion Among Young Women in Ghana: The Modifying Role of Age
Background. Young women in low- and middle-income countries face disproportionate barriers to abortion services. Pharmacies are the most common abortion source among adolescents in Ghana, and pharmacy-sourced medical abortion (MA) is increasingly used as a proxy for self-managed abortion (SMA). Yet little is known about whether the factors shaping pharmacy-sourced MA differ by age—a critical gap for designing age-responsive enabling environments.
Methods. We analyzed cross-sectional data from 1,975 women aged 16–46 obtaining MA from pharmacies or clinics across four Ghanaian regions (2019–2021). Age-stratified and interaction logistic regression models assessed factors associated with pharmacy-sourced MA and tested effect modification by age group (16–24 versus 25–46 years), adjusting for confounders identified through directed acyclic graphs.
Results. Most factors showed consistent associations across age groups: higher education was negatively associated with pharmacy-sourced MA, while prior pregnancy, prior abortion, and affordability-based source selection were positively associated in both groups. Three factors showed significant age interaction. Personal information channels were more strongly associated with pharmacy uptake among young women (aOR=2.67 vs. 1.78), while quality- and convenience-based source selection showed stronger associations among older women. Young women's decisions were more strongly shaped by social networks than by stated service preferences—a pattern with direct implications for information policy and peer-based outreach.
Conclusions. Most structural determinants of pharmacy-sourced MA operate similarly across age groups, suggesting a shared enabling environment agenda. However, young women's stronger reliance on personal information channels points to the need for age-responsive strategies that leverage peer networks alongside universal interventions targeting affordability, stigma, and regulatory barriers. These findings have direct relevance for Ghana's ongoing efforts to update self-care guidelines and expand non-clinical MA provision.
Tuesday, November 17
Innovations in Self-Care
Gloriah Mongina Momanyi,
Community-Led Self-Care: Empowering Youth Champions to Drive DMPA-SC Awareness and Access in Kenya
In Kenya, young people face persistent stigma and privacy barriers when accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services. To enhance reproductive autonomy and shape local markets for self-care, the Ministry of Health, in partnership with inSupply Health, implemented the Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) project across Nairobi, Kakamega, and Nakuru counties. This initiative leverages innovative behavior change strategies by deploying a cohort of 340 trained Youth Champions to drive peer-to-peer awareness and facilitate self-care adoption.
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a community-led, peer-driven behavioral intervention in overcoming access barriers, demystifying fears, and accelerating DMPA-SC self-injection uptake among young people. Methodology Following a sensitization workshop the intervention deployed a multi-layered support model to sustain peer-led behavior change. To overcome initial community trust deficits, Youth Champions were legitimized through official branded attire, enabling them to effectively conduct interpersonal counseling tailored to address needle fears and menstrual misconceptions and integration to health facilities for referral systems. These conversations were continuously reinforced through structured WhatsApp peer-learning communities, which provided real-time capacity building for live myth-busting and addressing peer concerns.
Results Between March and July 2026, the champion network reached 53,701 youth. While active monthly reporters fluctuated, individual productivity rose significantly, peaking at an average reach of 82.8 youth per active champion in July. Champions issued 14,372 referrals, achieving high facility arrival rates. Crucially, as a peer-led behavior change innovation, champions effectively demystified needle fears, dispelled contraception and menstrual myths, and normalized DMPA-SC as routine self-care.
Conclusion Equipping youth champions with targeted method training and routine performance tracking provides a scalable model for SRHR behavior change. Integrating peer mobilizers within health system networks bridges community demand with facility care, offering insightful evidence for expanding market-shaping self-care strategies globally.
Maïte Karstanje, Senior Manager of Digital Operations, Women First Digital
Ally, the Pioneering Abortion Chatbot: Advancing Self-Managed Abortion Accessibility in the Era of AI
Digital platforms have the potential to significantly expand access to safe self-managed abortion (SMA) information and support worldwide. However, these spaces present their own range of obstacles, as the digital landscape is constantly changing. Ally, an SMA information chatbot, was developed to proactively meet people in the digital spaces they already occupy, providing private, stigma-free, and evidence-based support. Its global use provides unique insights into how users across different regions behave when chatting with an abortion information chatbot, and how AI technologies are reshaping these interactions.
Aims and Objectives: This presentation aims to present key findings from the first large-scale analysis of global engagement with Ally and complement these insights with early learnings from the integration of AI within the chatbot. It explores regional variations in users’ abortion information-seeking behaviors and support needs, as well as how user interactions have evolved with the introduction of a hybrid conversational model that combines structured conversation flows with AI-generated responses. This approach enables support that is both guided and adaptive to users’ individual contexts, questions, and abortion journeys.
Methods: This presentation builds on findings from a scientific study published in the journal Contraception, which analyzed anonymized user interaction data from Ally between 2022 and 2024. The study examined 95,281 conversations across 172 countries, assessing metrics including conversation pathways, session duration, user engagement and drop-off patterns to identify regional differences in abortion information-seeking behavior. These findings are complemented by emerging insights from Ally's AI-driven support, including changes in conversation patterns, user engagement, and support needs.
Results: The Contraception study demonstrated substantial global demand for abortion chatbot services while revealing important regional differences in use. Users in Latin America and Africa made Ally part of their wider abortion journey, engaging in longer and more diverse conversations and seeking detailed guidance on medical abortion protocols. In contrast, users in North America and Asia more commonly used Ally's for narrower information needs, particularly related to abortion pill access, resulting in shorter interactions and quicker drop-off. Early insights from A’s AI-enhanced implementation indicate further shifts in user interaction patterns, including more open-ended and nuanced conversations, increased ability to address individual contexts and questions, and a greater need for balancing conversational flexibility with guided pathways for sensitive abortion-related interactions.
Conclusions: Ally’s worldwide usership demonstrates a clear demand for abortion chatbot services. However, Ally's nuanced regional use shows the importance of tailoring digital Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) solutions to diverse on-ground user realities, needs, and preferences. The integration of AI within Ally demonstrates the potential of hybrid AI chatbots that combine structured conversational flows with AI-driven capabilities, allowing for more adaptive and personalized support while maintaining the guidance, consistency and safeguards required for safe abortion care.
Drs Yuen Wai Hung and Dr. Andrew Corley, Research Associates with Metrics for Management
Estimating the Private Sector Market for DMPA-SC: A Replicable Multi-Country Approach to Shaping Self-Care Access
Background: DMPA-SC self-injection is a flagship self-care method for sexual and reproductive health, but expanding access through commercial channels depends on good market information. Private sector actors, commercialization partners, and policy makers need to know how many potential clients exist, the value of the market, and where demand is concentrated. In practice, this information is often missing, incomplete, or too thin to guide decisions at the local level.
Methods: In our capacity as analytic partner under the AIMS Project, M4M developed a market sizing approach that turns existing data into decision-ready estimates. Combining national household surveys, routine health service data, and population data, it estimates how many women of reproductive age use each contraceptive method, where, and through which sector, including splits between DMPA-SC and DMPA-IM. These estimates are translated into the size and value of the private sector market under adjustable scenarios, and shared through an interactive visualization tool. The approach has been applied in Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, and Cote d'Ivoire; Kenya is presented here.
Results: In Kenya, we estimate over 126,000 current private sector DMPA-SC consumers. These consumers are not spread evenly across the country. The counties with the highest estimated number of current private sector DMPA-SC users include Nairobi, Meru, and Nakuru, and use is concentrated in urban and peri-urban sub-counties with wide variation even within the same county. DMPA-SC is currently supplied mostly through the public sector (79%), and the areas with the most well-off public sector users largely overlap with those already served by the private sector.
Conclusions: Granular, sector-disaggregated market sizing pinpoints where private sector investment in DMPA-SC self-injection can have the greatest impact. Because it draws on data available in many settings, the approach is replicable across countries and gives commercial actors and policy makers a shared evidence base for shaping self-care commodity markets.
Wednesday, November 18
From Self-Testing to Supported Self-Care: Expanding HIV and STI Services
Speaker and abstract details to follow.
Thursday, November 19
Enabling Environments for Self-Care
Omolade Ogunlela, Programs & Advocacy Manager, White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria
Addressing Opposition to Self-Care for Family Planning through Strategic Engagement and Value Clarification—A Case Study from Nigeria
Background: Despite Nigeria's adoption of the WHO self-care guidelines, misconceptions among healthcare professionals continue to impede the integration and scale-up of self-care for sexual and reproductive health (SRH). In 2025, White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) Nigeria conducted a perception survey that revealed mixed support for self-care, particularly among healthcare professionals and community-level providers. The findings highlighted the need for evidence-informed advocacy to align values, address misconceptions, and foster an enabling environment for self-care implementation.
Methods: WRA Nigeria conducted a nationwide perception survey involving over 1,200 respondents across Nigeria, using online questionnaires, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. Findings informed advocacy meetings, self-care value clarification workshops, evidence dissemination, newsletters, and the "Voices of Self-Care" podcast, engaging the Federal Ministry of Health and professional healthcare associations including the Medical Women's Association of Nigeria (MWAN), National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria (NACHPN), Association of Lady Pharmacists (ALPs), and Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON).
Results: While 73% of respondents supported greater self-management of SRH, 60% expressed discomfort with reduced healthcare provider involvement and 65% raised concerns about patient safety. Following the advocacy intervention, participating healthcare associations demonstrated improved understanding of self-care as complementary to provider-led care, signed Memoranda of Understanding with WRA Nigeria to collaboratively promote self-care, committed to integrating self-care messaging into their programmes, and supporting national and subnational advocacy efforts.
Conclusions and/or recommendations: Strategic engagement with professional healthcare associations, supported by perception data and value clarification, can transform opposition into partnership and strengthen policy acceptance for self-care. Nigeria's experience demonstrates that evidence-based advocacy is a practical, scalable approach for creating an enabling environment that accelerates the institutionalization and scale-up of self-care.
Salma Nienpaga Mohammed, Registered General Nurse and Contact Center Agent, Youth Programs Department, Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana
Building Enabling Environments for SRHR Self-care in Ghana: Advocacy, Inclusion and Health System Partnership
Session Description / Background: In Ghana, advancing SRHR self-care requires more than access to commodities. Stigma, restrictive policies, high out-of-pocket costs, and the exclusion of marginalized groups continue to limit access and uptake. This Discovery Exchange will share Ghana’s experience in building an enabling environment for inclusive, affordable, and rights-based SRHR self-care through advocacy, community engagement, and multi-sector collaboration.
Drawing on the work of the Ghana Health Service, Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), UNFPA, and disability rights actors, the session will examine how national self-care guidelines were informed, how provider bias and misinformation were addressed, and how access for adolescents, rural communities, and people living with disabilities was strengthened. The discussion will also explore affordability as a critical barrier to scale, including community-based approaches to improve commodity security and integrate self-care into public health and social protection systems.
Participants will gain practical lessons on policy advocacy, government-CSO-community partnerships, and strategies for centering equity in self-care programming. The session is intended for policymakers, advocates, implementers, and health professionals interested in moving self-care from pilot initiatives to sustainable policy and practice.
Bonnie Keith, Self-Care Trailblazer Group
Launching the Self-Care Advocacy Toolkit
Tuesday, December 1
Providers Role in Advancing Self-Care
Phelisha Adhiambo, Senior Analyst Market Access and Shaping, inSupply Health
Strengthening Provider Competencies and Community Engagement to Drive DMPA-SC Self-Care Quality and Adoption in Kenya.
Background Successful DMPA-SC self-injection (SI) adoption and continuation relies on healthcare providers possessing both technical knowledge and empathetic, client-centered counseling skills to address clients’ fears, build confidence and support informed choice. However, provider bias, inadequate counselling, gaps in SI training, commodity management and data documentation, combined with community-level awareness barriers, myths, and inequities, often restrict family planning access and continuity.
Objective To evaluate an integrated capacity-strengthening intervention designed to build provider competencies, improve user experience, and drive equitable self-care adoption and continuation across Kakamega, Nairobi, and Nakuru Counties in Kenya.
Methodology Between October 2025 and June 2026, a comprehensive health-system intervention was implemented across 400 public facilities. 476 Providers were trained on empathy-based counselling, DMPA-SC self-injection, documentation, and commodity management, backed by post-training support supervision and whole-site mentorship. The counselling approach equipped providers to identify and address clients’ fears, concerns about side effects, low confidence and other practical barriers to self-injection. Simultaneously, Community Health Assistants (270) and Youth Champions (340) were sensitized to lead targeted demand-generation activities, including 329 community dialogue days, facility in-reaches, and youth engagement campaigns to address access gaps.
Results Provider competencies maintained at a high level, with average assessment scores rising from 76% (Phase 1) to 77% (Phase 2), sustaining high-quality, client-centered care. The proportion of facilities activelyoffering of SI increased from 58% (230/400) to 73% (292/400), despite temporary national commodity stock-outs. By June 2026, SI represented ~60% of all DMPA-SC visits demonstrating sustained integration into routine family planning service delivery. Targeted community demand generation directly drove uptake: during a March 2026 campaign, monthly DMPA-SC visits rose from 1,661 to 2,668, while self-injection visits increased from 1,160 to 1,821, marking the highest volume recorded. Overall, community engagement reached over 75,000 individuals and generated 4,538 facility referrals.
Conclusion Integrating empathy-centered provider training, continuous mentorship, commodity management support, and targeted community engagement effectively strengthens provider confidence, improves user experience, and drives equitable self-care adoption. By addressing client fears and confidence, provider-level barriers, community misconceptions and access inequities, this model offers a scalable framework for sustainable self-care integration in routine health systems.
Dr. Jane Cover, Senior Research Manager, Women and Family Health, PATH
Providers as gatekeepers to self-care services: The role of provider bias in limiting women’s autonomy over their reproductive health
Background: Despite global enthusiasm for DMPA-SC self-injection (SI), uptake has been relatively low, calling into question whether women truly welcome self-injection. Three cross-sectional studies addressed the question of whether low SI uptake reflects women’s preference to receive injections from a provider, or conversely, provider hesitancy to offer self-care services.
Methodology: In DRC, Madagascar, and Zambia, we employed structured surveys to interview 50 family planning (FP) providers and 150 of their injectable clients. Interviews with clients were conducted after their FP visit and focused on the nature and quality of counseling received, and their SI interest and experience. Interviews with providers focused on their approach to FP/SI service delivery and their perspectives on self-injection.
Results: From interviews with clients, we found low awareness of the SI option, with fewer than one third reporting SI was discussed at their visit. When asked about their interest, 34% to 45% of injectable clients reported they are ‘very interested in learning to self-inject’. Turning to provider perspectives, we found skepticism, with a substantial share believing that injections should only be administered by providers. In all three countries, providers expressed reservations about the type of client for whom SI is appropriate. Nearly three quarters in Madagascar and Zambia believe adolescents are not mature enough to self-inject, with a smaller yet substantial share opining that women without education should not self-inject.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that, despite considerable interest among clients, discussion of SI is not routine even in countries where DMPA-SC/SI scale up has been underway for years. Moreover, providers express reservations about SI and impose restrictions on the type of client able to access self-care. Providers may withhold information out of concern that women cannot safely and effectively self-inject and may prefer to maintain professional control over women’s reproductive autonomy.
Grace Wairimu Gichuna, GBV Technical Officer, AMIU
Healthcare Provider Adherence to Quality Standards in the Management of Survivors of Sexual Violence: The Case of Murang'a County
Background: Sexual violence is a significant public health and human rights concern with profound and long-lasting consequences for survivors. The quality of care provided by healthcare providers plays a critical role in addressing survivors’ medical, psychosocial, and protection needs. Adherence to survivor-centered quality standards is essential for ensuring timely, coordinated, respectful, and compassionate care that mitigates the harmful effects of sexual violence and promotes recovery. In Kenya, these standards are outlined in the Gender-Based Violence Quality Assurance (GBV QA) Framework; however, evidence on healthcare provider adherence to these standards remains limited. Main Objective: To assess healthcare provider adherence to quality assurance standards in the management of survivors of sexual violence in public health facilities in Murang'a County, Kenya.
Methodology: A convergent mixed methods cross-sectional design was employed. Quantitative data collected from healthcare providers in government facilities using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using R. Descriptive statistics summarized adherence patterns, while multivariable logistic regression identified predictors of quality care, robust standard errors clustered at the health facility level. Qualitative data were collected through key informant interviews and analyzed thematically using NVivo to explore contextual influences on care.
Findings: Adherence varied by facility level: 44% of providers in Level 2 facilities met the quality threshold, compared to 77% in Level 3 and 85% in Level 4/5 facilities. Providers in facilities with available guidelines demonstrated higher adherence (83.7%) than those without (41.5%). Guidelines availability was a strong predictor of quality care (OR = 5.68, p = 0.022). Providers in Level 3 (OR = 2.79, p < 0.001) and Level 4/5 facilities (OR = 2.83, p < 0.001) were significantly more likely to deliver quality care than those in lower-level facilities. Qualitative findings revealed awareness of survivor-centred care principles but highlighted barriers including poverty, stigma, fear, weak inter-sectoral coordination, and limited community awareness.
Conclusion and Recommendations: Adherence to survivor-centred standards is inconsistent due to inadequate system-level support, availability and use of national guidelines is central to improving quality of care. Strengthening guideline dissemination, support supervision, inter-sectoral coordination, and community awareness are significant to improve quality of care.
Wednesday, December 2
Building MOH-led National Self-Care Networks to support the integration of self-care into national health systems
• Why Country-Level Self-care Programming Matter: Role, functions and value of National Self-Care Networks
• Lessons from Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria
• Key Lessons & Practical Considerations
Speakers
George Kapiyo, Senior Advisor I, Technical Project, Self-Care Trailblazer Group(SCTG)| PSI
Dr. Pamella Odhiambo, National Self-Care Network, Kenya
Seth Mwesiga, National Self-Care Network, Uganda
Omolade Ogunlela, National Self-Care Network Nigeria
Thursday, December 3
Making an Evidence-Based Case for Contraceptive Self-Care
Speakers
Moderator: Rachel Templeton, HIPs Secretariat Manager, FP2030
Dr. Roselline Achola, Senior Technical Advisor for SRHR and Self-Care in the Ministry of Health Uganda
Dr. Saswati Das, Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights Specialist, UNFPA India
Megan Christofield Principal Technical Advisor, Family Planning & Self-Care, Jhpiego
Session abstract
Contraceptive Self-Care has recently been elevated as a High Impact Practice Enhancement for Family Planning. Studies show a positive influence of contraceptive self-care on family planning, including increased demand for contraception; improved method satisfaction; contraceptive method continuation; increased privacy; and savings in time and money. Through this exchange, we will examine the evidence around the practice of integrating contraceptive self-care into family planning and reproductive health services and systems, and explore how this evidence-base may support decision-making at the country level. Through a combination of presentation and facilitated dialogue, we will feature case studies of how countries have advanced contraceptive self-care across a range of contexts, how evidence has informed advocacy and decision-making around contraceptive self-care, and what evidence gaps remain that would be most critical for policymakers and programmers at the country level.
Tuesday, December 8
Advancing Self-Care in Francophone Countries
Dr. Elhadji Mamadou Mbaye, Enseignant-Chercheur, Université Gaston Berger
L'autosoin au Sénégal : de l'autonomie du patient à la contrainte systémique. Une lecture critique en analyse des politiques publiques
Depuis une dizaine d'années, l'autosoin (self-care) est promu par l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé comme un levier d'amélioration de l'accès aux soins, d'autonomisation des individus et de renforcement de la couverture sanitaire universelle. Cette approche repose sur l'hypothèse selon laquelle les individus disposent des ressources, des connaissances et des capacités nécessaires pour participer activement à la gestion de leur santé. Si cette vision présente un intérêt indéniable, elle apparaît toutefois insuffisante pour rendre compte des réalités observées dans les pays à revenu faible ou intermédiaire, notamment au Sénégal. Cette présentation propose une lecture critique de l'autosoin à partir des outils de l'analyse des politiques publiques. Il défend l'hypothèse selon laquelle, dans le contexte sénégalais, l'autosoin relève moins d'un véritable choix individuel que d'une adaptation contrainte aux défaillances du système de santé. Les difficultés d'accès géographique aux services, les coûts directs des soins, l'importance des paiements à la charge des ménages, la faible couverture effective de l'assurance maladie, les ruptures de médicaments et les insuffisances des ressources humaines conduisent une partie importante de la population à développer des pratiques d'automédication, d'autogestion ou de recours aux médecines traditionnelles, souvent sans accompagnement professionnel.
La présentation montre que cette forme d'autosoin est ambivalente. Elle constitue à la fois une ressource de résilience individuelle et communautaire, mais également un facteur de risque lorsque les patients ou leurs proches ne disposent pas des compétences nécessaires pour assurer un usage approprié des médicaments, maîtriser les posologies, reconnaître les signes de gravité ou assurer le suivi des maladies chroniques. Cette situation est particulièrement préoccupante pour les personnes vivant avec le diabète, l'hypertension artérielle ou d'autres maladies chroniques nécessitant une surveillance régulière. À partir d'une revue critique de la littérature en sciences politiques et en socio-anthropologies et des politiques nationales, la proposition défend l'idée que l'autosoin est avant tout une question politique qui questionne des dimensions structurelles. Il ne peut être réduit à une responsabilité individuelle, mais doit être appréhendé comme un objet de régulation publique. L'État est appelé à jouer un rôle central dans la production de connaissances sur les pratiques d'autosoin, l'encadrement des produits et dispositifs utilisés, la formation des patients et des aidants, la réduction des inégalités d'accès aux soins et l'élaboration d'une stratégie nationale de l'autosoin articulée aux objectifs de couverture sanitaire universelle.
En replaçant l'autosoin au croisement des enjeux de gouvernance, d'équité et de justice sanitaire, cet article propose une contribution originale aux débats sur les transformations contemporaines des systèmes de santé en Afrique.
Koudédia Konaté, Coordinatrice Régionale, Le Partenariat de Ouagadougou
Wednesday, December 9
Health Systems Integration of Self-Care for Scaled Delivery
Simeon Christian Chukwu, Senior Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist, Association for Reproductive and Family Health
Bridging the Data Discrepancy Gap: Data Triangulation Frameworks for Harmonizing DHIS2 Service Data and NHLMIS Logistics Metrics for DMPA-SC Self-Injection
Background: Expanding access to the uptake of self-care interventions, such as DMPA-SC Self-Injection, requires reliable routine data for decision-making. In Nigeria, family planning data is split between service utilization data reported through the DHIS2 and commodity consumption reported in the NHLMIS. Significant discrepancies between commodities issued and services delivered often create artificial stockouts, distort forecasting, and undermine self-care programing. Under the CODSAiN program, we deployed a structured data triangulation framework to identify, reconcile, and resolve reporting mismatches across both platforms.
Methods: A mixed method retrospective data review and triangulation process was conducted two of the seven CODSAiN intervention states (Kano and Lagos States). Service utilization data from DHIS2 (DMPA-SC provider-administered and women who self-injection counts) were systematically paired with commodity logistics data from NHLMIS (DMPA-SC stock received, issued, and physical balances) from January – June 2026). Root-cause analyses, state-level bi-monthly data validation exercises, and stakeholder engagement meetings were conducted to investigate discrepancies. Reconciliation algorithms were applied to account for reporting lags, unrecorded community-level distributions by CORPs, and unit-of-measure misalignments.
Results: Initial triangulation revealed a baseline discrepancy exceeding 83% between NHLMIS commodity consumption and DHIS2 recorded service delivery for DMPA-SC Self-Injection. Root-cause analysis identified key drivers: undocumented data from CORPs distribution, double-counting of multi-month self-injection, and non-reporting by trained and untrained data officers into the different platforms. Following targeted data alignment sessions and capacity building on synchronized documentation, data discrepancy between DHIS2 and NHLMIS dropped to 15%.
Conclusion: Routine data triangulation between service data and logistics data is critical for accurate tracking of self-care (SI) commodities. Reconciling DHIS2 and NHLMIS not only cleanses health information systems but also ensures uninterrupted supply chains vital for sustainable self-injection access. Standardizing joint data validation frameworks into routine workflows at the state level provides a replicable strategy for national health system strengthening and improves data documentation.
Dr. Sitota Tsegaye, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Officer at the Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
From Policy to Practice: Ethiopia’s Journey Toward Institutionalization and Scale-Up of Self-Care Interventions
Background: Ethiopia’s self-care journey began with the development of essential national documents, including guidelines, training manuals, and policies, and has progressively advanced toward translating the national self-care policy into scaled, community-level implementation and service delivery. The objective of this abstract is to share key lessons learned from Ethiopia’s experience in implementing and scaling self-care interventions.
Methods: Data were collected from the Ministry of Health and key implementing partners on self-care activities across three areas: DMPA-SC self-injection, self-managed abortion, and HIV self-testing. The collected data were reviewed, cleaned, organized, and synthesized to identify key implementation experiences, achievements, and lessons learned.
Results: Following the Ministry of Health’s approval of the National RMNCAYH-N Self-Care Intervention Guideline, Ethiopia has advanced parallel workstreams across three self-care intervention areas. Beyond the development of guidelines, self-care commodities have been incorporated into the national Essential Medicines List and relevant essential diagnostic commodity lists. Additional technical and training materials have been developed to strengthen the capacity of healthcare providers and community level health extension workers to deliver self-care services. In collaboration with implementing partners, the Ministry of Health has conducted advocacy, dissemination, and provider training to support wider implementation and scale-up. Self-care commodities have also been integrated into national commodity planning, forecasting, procurement, and distribution systems, improving availability at lower administrative levels. In parallel, efforts are underway to integrate self-care indicators into the national HMIS to strengthen routine monitoring and reporting. Through these coordinated efforts, Ethiopia is progressing from policy development toward institutionalization and sustainable, community-level scale-up of self-care interventions.
Conclusion: Ethiopia has made substantial progress in moving self-care from policy and guideline development toward institutionalization and scale-up. Strengthening the integration of self-care into national health systems, commodity management, provider capacity building, community-level service delivery, and routine monitoring will be critical to sustaining and expanding access to self-care interventions.
Joyce Owola, Analyst-Market Access and Shaping, inSupply Health
Navigating the Ecosystem of Self-Care: Multi-Stakeholder Perspectives on Enablers and Constraints in Scaling DMPA-SC Self-Injection in Pharmacies.
Background: Community pharmacies are vital private-sector family planning (FP) access points for Kenyan youth. To expand autonomous self-care, the Ministry of Health (MOH), inSupply Health, pharmaceutical associations, and accredited pharmacies across 10 counties implemented the Optimizing Pharmacy Channel (OPC) project, integrating DMPA-SC self-injection (SI) into health systems via provider training, counseling, and client take-home doses.
Methods: A qualitative study using purposive sampling interviewed 6 pharmacy providers and 9 SI clients to map journey phases. This was integrated with quantitative evaluation tracking and Ripple Effects Mapping to identify operational, financial, regulatory, and socio-behavioral dynamics affecting self-care scale-up.
Results: Critical factors identified across core dimensions: Policy, Regulatory & Operational Factors Enablers: Provider counseling aids client retention. MOH-pharmacy linkages legitimize the model, reducing provider compliance fears. Barriers: Skepticism and less support from county public health authorities questioning pharmacy suitability for self-injectables. Waste Management Enablers: Clients increasingly return used sharps to pharmacies as a practical post-use solution. Barriers: High biohazard disposal costs constrain pharmacies. Some clients use risky informal disposal (pit latrines/household waste), causing needle-stick risks. Social & Behavioral Dynamics Enablers: Clients prefer DMPA-SC SI for privacy, control, and time/cost savings. Adoption increases via partner support, digital outreach, and peer advocacy. Barriers: Social stigma and misconceptions (e.g., linking SI to drug abuse or permanent infertility) hinder adoption. Service Delivery & Operational Practices Enablers: Providers prioritize safety over profit. Adherence is reinforced through demonstrations, reminders, branding, and purchasing multi-dose supplies. Barriers: Periodic global DMPA-SC stockouts disrupt service continuity and temporarily erode client confidence.
Conclusion: Pharmacies provide a scalable delivery channel for FP self-care, but sustainable health systems integration requires robust public-private alignment. Sub-national health systems must streamline regulatory frameworks, integrate private providers into public supply chains and waste management systems, and leverage digital social marketing and peer champions to counter stigma and expand self-care access.
Thursday, December 10
Investing in Self-Care During Uncertain Times
Speaker and abstract details to follow.
Code of Conduct
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