Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41702630›Full record

ArticleBMJ global health2026

Integration of family planning and nutrition programmes in 64 WHO member states of Africa, Eastern Mediterranean and South-East Asia regions: findings from a survey of Ministry of Health officials.

Iqbal H Shah, Moazzam Ali, Ndema A Habib, Ayaz Ahmed Baloch, Leopold Ouedraogo, Adeniyi Aderoba, Karima Gholbzouri, Meera T Upadhyay, Anoma Jarathilake, Wafaie Fawzi and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ global health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Iqbal H Shah *Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8850-4374
Moazzam Ali *Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneve, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-6949-8976
Ndema A HabibDepartment of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneve, Switzerland.
Ayaz Ahmed BalochFaculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-1865-9578
Leopold OuedraogoWorld Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
Adeniyi AderobaWorld Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
Karima GholbzouriWorld Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Cairo, Egypt.
Meera T UpadhyayWorld Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, India.
Anoma JarathilakeWorld Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, India.
Wafaie Fawzi *Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Uttara Partap *Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA upartap@hsph.harvard.edu.ORCID 0000-0002-2531-1804

Funding

the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation INV-042771
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFamily planning (FP) and nutrition services are essential for the health and well-being of girls and women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), yet evidence on their existing and potential integration is limited. Also, little is known about relevant national programmes and the views of health officials.

methodsAn on-line survey of national health ministry officials in member states of WHO Regions for Africa (AFRO), Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO) and South-East Asia (SEARO) was conducted from 29 August 2023 to 15 December 2023, using a structured questionnaire. It covered national FP and nutrition programmes and policies, special FP programmes for vulnerable groups, task sharing in provision of services, and existing or potential for integration of FP and nutrition services. This was complemented with recent data from the UN Population Division and Global Health Observatory.

resultsAltogether, 64 (81%) of 79 member states' health officials responded. All countries in SEARO, 83% of countries in AFRO and 92% in EMRO reported the existence of a national nutritional programme. In 40 countries with integrated FP and nutrition programmes, integration of FP with breastfeeding counselling during the first 2 days after delivery was universal, followed by nutritional information, education and communication (98%) and nutritional counselling during pregnancy (98%). In 24 countries without an integrated FP and nutrition programme, food and/or cash assistance for nutrition and weekly iron folic acid supplement for women aged 15-49 years were reported as best suited for integration with FP. Integration with nutrition service was considered suitable by 58% of respondents.

conclusionsWHO regions vary widely in policies, programmes, provision and integration of FP and nutrition services. Officials of several countries recognise the potential values of integration, indicating the need to comprehensively explore strategies to promote integration to benefit women in LMICs.

Indexed as

Family Planning ServicesAfricaAsia, SoutheasternDeveloping CountriesFemaleHumansSurveys and QuestionnairesWorld Health Organizationcross-sectional surveyglobal healthnutritionpublic health

Identifiers

PMID41702630
PMCPMC12962060

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.