SMC has planned to include 1,550 new Blue Star providers in the fiscal year 2023-24 as a part of its ongoing effort to expand the Blue Star network provider using its own fund. The Program Division of SMC has organized a comprehensive three-day 'Basic Training' program to incorporate these new providers into the network. A total of 618 providers (580 male and 38 female) were trained across the country in 23 sessions during October to December 2023.

The training sessions focused on various aspects of family planning with special emphasis on the administration of injectable contraceptives, counseling skills, maternal health including pre-pregnancy care counseling and services, basic pregnancy care, child nutrition including Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP) and Micronutrient Powder (MNP), management of diarrhea, use of Zinc, family de-worming, screening and referral of Tuberculosis (TB) & Long-acting Permanent Method (LAPM) alongside other public health priority areas.

This initiative is expected to make a significant contribution in the national health and family planning program with increased sales and services.

Source: Newsletter-47 (October-December), 2023