Defining Reproductive Health Essentials

What, specifically, are "reproductive health essentials" also called "reproductive health commodities"? These terms are broad, in order to accommodate the wide range of items needed to support the provision of quality reproductive health care services, and the list of available products grows daily. But the urgent and rising demand of the developing world requires that any list of essentials be pared to items necessary at the primary health-care level. For some needs, however, such as maternal care, it is crucial that certain safe motherhood services and commodities be accessible at the first referral level above basic care, and those are included here.

Reproductive health essentials are generally made available at the country level through an established network of manufacturers, vendors, transport and storage warehouses. UNFPA's suppliers also maintain a stock of pre-packaged equipment and supplies for use in emergencies. Items are grouped into "kits" for more efficient organization and ordering.

Basic family planning essentials:

• Contraceptives: male and female condoms, diaphragms, intrauterine devices, contraceptive pills, injectables, implants and other hormonal contraceptives, and spermicidal products.

• Family planning commodities: speculums, forceps, sissors, scapels, sutures and other items for insertion and removal of intrauterine devices (IUDs), vasectomy, subdermal implant insertion, mini-laparatomy, laparoscopy and tubal ligation.

Maternal and neonatal health care essentials:

• General equipment: diagnostic kits, pregnancy testing kits, rapid plasma reagin testing sets, HIV test sets, drugs and vaccines.

• Antenatal care: blood pressure testers, stethoscopes, gloves, tape measures, scales, thermometers, tourniquets, disinfectors, stove, blood and urine test sets, safety and burn boxes for used syringes, nutrients, vaccines and other items.

• Delivery and postpartum care:
  Delivery kit for use at home: bar of soap, plastic sheet (1 sq. metre), razor blade, string for umbilical cord, pictorial instruction sheet.
  
  Professional midwife kit: disinfector for boiling instruments, kidney basins, bowl, apron, catheters, plastic sheet, surgical gloves, mucus extractor, thermometers, scrub brush, cotton wool, gauze, nail clipper, scale, sutures, needles, umbilical tape, foil infant wrap, towel, blood pressure tester, stethoscope, forceps, scissors, syringes.
  
  Kits for use at primary health care facilities: equipment and supplies as above, sterilizing equipment, lighting, delivery set, suture set, disposable supplies (as in midwife kit), drugs (antenatal care plus antiseptics, anesthetics, feeding solutions) plus commodities for suturing vaginal and cervical tears, management of eclampasia, management of post-partum haemorrhage and retained placenta, blood transfusion, and management of the complications of abortion.

These kits are used to help preform Caesarean sections, resuscitation of mothers and infants, intravenous and antibiotic treatment for the complications of pregnancy and delivery, and for sexually transmitted infections. Kits include: operating theater and ward equipment and instruments, suction apparatus, resuscitation equipment, anesthetic equipment, anatomical teaching models and drugs.

Essentials for STIs and HIV/AIDS:

• Kits for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and diseases including HIV/AIDS, and for the treatment of STIs, include male and female condoms, diagnostic testing equipment, plasma reagin test sets, speculums, syringes, needles, cotton wool, gloves, safe sex leaflets, posters and drugs.

Essential supplies for safe motherhood:

In situations of conflict and natural disaster, UNFPA sends emergency reproductive health equipment and supplies that help make childbirth safer.

• Supplies for clean home deliveries include soap, plastic sheeting, razor blades, string, gloves and pictorial instruction sheets.

• Equipment and supplies for assisted deliveries at a health facility also include stethoscopes, thermometers, plastic aprons, latex gloves, syringes, sutures, sterile gauze pads and intravenous infusion set, cotton wool, burn boxes for safe needle disposal, amoxicillin and other drugs.

• Equipment and supplies are also provided for resuscitation, suturing tears, disinfection, and surgery.