Mapping family planning policy and programme best practices in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region: a step towards coordinated scale-up.

Family planning is recognized as among the 4 core components of safe motherhood. This survey aimed to map evidence-based best policy and programme practices in family planning in the Member States of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. A self-administered, structured questionnaire was developed to survey different components of 7 essential elements of successful family planning programmes. Responses were received from the ministry of health in 18 out of 22 Member States. A total of 17 out of 18 responding countries (94%) (including 7 priority countries for Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5) confirmed the availability of at least 5 out of the 7 surveyed essential elements of successful family planning programmes. Documented available best practices in family planning suggest a need for close coordination and collaboration among stakeholders in scaling up these best practices, especially in priority countries, to improve maternal and child health in the Region.